Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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739. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the implementation of the Food Vision tillage report, and when he expects to see a tillage-centred environmental scheme to incentivise crop growers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25882/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The tillage sector is an integral part of Irish farming and makes a significant contribution to overall agricultural output. This Government recognises the importance of the sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead.

The report of the Food Vision Tillage Group sets out a road map for the sustainable growth and development of the sector. It is a very comprehensive report that identifies opportunities to grow the sector and to further improve its environmental footprint. A meeting of the Group took place on 7 February with updates on progress given by my Department Officials, Teagasc and other industry stakeholders. My Department will continue to engage with stakeholders to progress the implementation of the actions in the report. This will require collaboration and commitment from many stakeholders across the sector.

My Department has provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers. . Support of €100/ha was committed to in April 2024 and €32.4m was paid out under the tillage and horticultural support scheme on 12th February 2025 to meet this commitment. The financial allocation for coupled support under the Protein Aid Scheme has been increased to €10m annually from 2024. The Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM), which was first introduced as a Pilot Scheme in 2021 and 2022, is now included in the current CAP Strategic Plan with an allocation of €50m over 5 years.

Any additional supports are dependent on the allocation of funding and government approval and would form part of the budgetary process for Budget 2026 later this year.

I will continue to work with the tillage sector given the importance of the sector within the wider agricultural industry, and to deliver on the commitment in the Programme for Government to invest significantly in the tillage sector over the next five years.