Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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903. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a farmer qualifies for support under the targeted intervention package for the tillage sector recently announced (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17588/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced the Targeted Intervention Package. This package seeks to incentivise the planting of additional tillage crops for this coming planting season through the Tillage Incentive Scheme. It is proposed to encourage farmers to grow more eligible tillage crops in 2022 versus 2021.

Eligible crops include the cereal crops barley, wheat, oats, rye, oilseed rape, maize, and beet. A payment of €400 per hectare is proposed. The proposed budget for the Scheme is €10 million and is aimed at encouraging an additional 25,000 hectares of the eligible tillage crops.

Specifically in relation to the Deputy's question, I can confirm that under sown cereals are eligible under the scheme. However, farmers must establish the cereal, for example if barley is sown, as the primary crop and must be maintained to a good commercial standard. It is expected that the eligible crops are managed correctly in terms of crop establishment, nutrition, weed and disease control etc. In summary, once the eligible cereal crop is established and maintained properly grass seed may be under sown.