The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has announced a payment of €100/ha (€40/ac) for tillage farmers. He made the announcement at the Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis in Dublin on Saturday, 13 April.

He said the payment will be made to all farmers that plant field crops in 2024.

He said: “I want to help tillage farmers have the confidence to plant in 2024, so I am committing that I will find a mechanism to support any farmer that puts seed in the soil this year.

“Tillage farmers are fearful, unsure of what or when it will be possible to plant their crops and when it will be possible to yield, as the weather continues to impact."

He continued to say that: "Fianna Fáil is absolutely committed to increasing our tillage area and despite the restraints of my existing budget I am committing to deliver €100/ha for tillage farmers who plant field crops in 2024."

Motion

A motion had been submitted to the Ard Fheis by the Laois Fianna Fáil CDC asking that the Minister "immediately introduce a payment to tillage farmers" to stop the decline in tillage area and to meet the target to increase area.

The IFA had called for a Tillage Survival Scheme which would pay farmers €250/ha (€100/ac) to help farmers in this extremely difficult season.

The percentage of tillage crops planted across the country is in single digits and 35,000ha less winter crops were planted this year. Industry experts estimate the area could decline by 20-35,000ha in 2024.