As harvest gets into full swing, it is important to remember what you need to do to qualify for payments under the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).

Approximately 2,800ha of winter barley is to be chopped under the scheme in the next few days and weeks. Winter oats will be the next crop under the knife with 8,6300ha to be chopped.

What should you do under the scheme?

First of all, you should ensure that your application is in order and that you know what fields, areas and crops you have decided to chop.

The minimum area allowed in the scheme is 5ha and the maximum payment will be received on 40ha. However, if an applicant applies for 50ha, they are obliged to chop all 50ha.

The straw must be chopped, spread evenly across the stubbles and incorporated into the soil as soon as possible after harvest.

To incorporate the straw, a disc or tine cultivator can be used. Straw rakes can be used “as required” in strip till or no till situations according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Parcels can be swapped after June 9 under the scheme. However, if the parcel is bigger than the first parcel applied for, there will be no increase in payment.

The following crops are eligible for a payment of €250/ha:

  • Winter and spring oats.

    Winter and spring wheat.

    Rye.

    Winter and spring barley.

    • The following crops are eligible for a payment of €150/ha:

  • Winter and spring oilseed rape.

    • How many hectares are to be chopped?

    Tillage farmers have applied to chop 52,480ha under the scheme. In total, 2,500 applications have been made under the scheme.

    Areas to be chopped as of June 2022:

  • Winter oilseed rape – 11,100ha.

    Spring barley – 10,700ha.

    Winter wheat – 10,000ha.

    Winter oats – 8,300ha.

    Spring oats – 6,500ha.

    Winter barley – 2,800ha.

    Spring wheat – 1,800ha.

    Spring oilseed rape – 990ha.

    Rye – 290ha.