Tillage sustainability pilot stalled as IFA protest continues

A new sustainability pilot scheme for the tillage sector is slow to get off the ground at present. The scheme was to pay farmers for participation in 2026.

In December, it was announced that a pilot Sustainability Assurance Scheme was being launched.

The Department of Agriculture, the Malting Company of Ireland, Bord Bia and the Irish Grain Assurance scheme are the main players, using AgNav to count the numbers on carbon.

The first meeting of the group was set for 19 February. However, the meeting was described as an introduction and was not a technical advisory committee meeting.

The IFA is not taking part in any technical advisory committee meetings while it continues its protest at Bord Bia.

Team

Speaking at this week’s live recording of the Irish Farmers Journal’s Tillage Podcast, David Kennedy, who is head of dairy and tillage at Bord Bia, said that good progress has been made and distillers want to partner with the sector, but progress is stalled.

“We’ve basically picked a team. We’ve a team from across the industry ready to put an assurance scheme in place. It’s got growers, farmers, processors, industry, academics.

"That team is good to go to start having technical advisory committee [TAC] meetings in the coming weeks. There is a holdup at the moment that all TACs have been suspended, but we had an exploratory/introductory, context-setting meeting and there’s an appetite to get going on this,” Kennedy said.

“The Department have agreed to partially fund the cost of this, as have Bord Bia, over three years, but as Government budgets work, if you don’t use it you lose it, so we’re trying to get this up and running so we can make the most of this opportunity.”

There are numerous reasons why the IFA is continuing its protest at Bord Bia.

One thing that may help the tillage sector as a result of the protest is the spotlight it has shone on the importation of millions of tonnes of grain into the country, produced at lower standards to Irish grain.

However, the hold-up of the TAC for this scheme is negative. For the first time, the tillage sector has funding from the Department of Agriculture to support a scheme like this.

The Malting Company of Ireland is ready and willing to roll out the scheme and drinks companies are ready to pay money for the grain in compliance with the scheme.

When the scheme was announced, the plan was to pay people in harvest 2026. All stakeholders must ensure that the pilot gets off the ground and farmers are paid under the scheme for 2026.

In order to do this, they need to know how to comply. Spring sowing will begin as soon as the weather is right. Tillage is under pressure and needs to make the most of these opportunities.

Part one of the live recording of the Tillage Podcast is available here. You can hear the majority of details on the sustainability scheme in part two on Thursday 5 March.