Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
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110. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, given the tillage sector is coming under increasing pressure from input costs and low prices, he will outline any proposed support packages for tillage farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36378/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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This Government recognises the importance of the sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead.

I understand the pressures that the sector has faced in recent years, and in particular, the downward pressure on grain prices, including for harvest 2025, following trends in international grain commodity markets. This year has thankfully been more favourable for getting crops planted with winter sown crops for 2025 harvest looking to have very good yield potential. While spring crops are more variable with some crops being impacted by weather conditions after sowing, hopefully the weather from now through to harvest will allow all crops to reach their full potential

Recognising the challenges faced by the sector, my Department has provided significant support to tillage farmers in recent years.

Looking to 2025, the budget for Protein Aid has increased to €10m annually from 2024. Applications for over 66,000 hectares of cereals and oilseed rape straw were submitted for chopping and incorporating in 2025 under the Straw Incorporation measure. I have committed to paying all farmers who have applied under the Scheme. I have made this decision early to give certainty to farmers while also giving them an economic boost.

In February this year, I announced €32.4 million of payments under the Tillage and Horticulture Support Scheme which was Government’s response to the difficult position tillage and horticultural farmers found themselves in due to exceptionally poor weather and continued high input costs last Spring. This exceeds the €30 million provided for in the 2025 Budget, but I was anxious that we would be able to make the payment on every hectare of eligible ground.

The tillage sector is also being supported under other schemes including the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme, ACRES, the Organic Farming Scheme and the Water Quality EIP.

I will continue to work with the tillage sector and provide targeted support 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.