Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue met with members of the Irish Grain Growers Group in Laois on Tuesday to listen to their concerns and the current challenges being experienced by tillage farmers.

The Minister acknowledged the particular impact of the recent wet weather and the delay in getting spring crops planted.

“With later spring sowing than normal and the risks associated for farmers, I recently announced that I will work to deliver €100/ha in financial support for crops planted for the 2024 harvest to give confidence to growers to plant crops this year and to give them confidence in the future of their industry,” he said.

Supports

He acknowledged the difficult year last year for tillage farmers and outlined the additional supports that were provided to the sector in 2023.

In March, the Minister also announced an exemption to the crop diversification element of GAEC 7, easing concerns for tillage farmers by allowing them to pick the crops that best suit their circumstances, taking account of time of sowing, market returns and seed availability.

Food Vision group

Minister McConalogue concluded: “The tillage sector is an important and integral component of the agri-food industry and is a sector that I want to see grow and develop.

"That is why I established the Food Vision tillage group in May 2023 to set out a road map for the sustainable growth and development of the sector to 400,000ha by 2030.

"I recently received the final report from the group and I am considering its recommendations.”