Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

143. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications from counties Cavan and Monaghan that have been received for the tillage incentive scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26915/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I introduced the Tillage Incentive Scheme (TIS) as a support measure for farmers to incentivise an increase in the area of tillage crops in 2022, to reduce the dependency on imported feed material.  

This scheme, funded by the National Exchequer, is one of a number of important new schemes introduced in 2022 to support Irish farmers.  The tillage sector is an integral part of Irish agriculture and supports to this sector not only assist tillage farmers, but also ensures more locally produced animal feed for the livestock sector.

The eligible crops- barley, wheat, oats, rye, oilseed rape, maize and beet will receive a €400 per hectare payment once the conditions of the scheme are satisfied. To be eligible for the scheme, there must be an increase in the total tillage crops grown on the holding in 2022 versus 2021. The land on which the additional eligible crops are grown for the scheme must have been in grassland or other non-tillage crops in 2021.

The information  regarding the crops sown is now being extracted from the 2021 and 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) applications. In June, my Department will be in contact with those farmers who are potentially eligible, based on the crops and land they declared in their 2022 BPS application, inviting them to apply for the scheme.

Therefore, at this point we do not have application data as the official application window has not yet opened and final processing of 2022 BPS application data is still on-going to allow the potential population to be identified.  However, anecdotal evidence suggests a strong uptake across the country.

The Tillage Incentive Scheme, the Straw Incorporation Measure and Protein Aid combined provide strong supports for the tillage sector and  they signal the importance of tillage to Irish agriculture and to this Government.