The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) Grain Committee chair has said that the €50 million earmarked for tillage farmers in Budget 2026 "is a help for a sector in crisis".

However, Kieran McEvoy said the allocation "ultimately falls short of the €65 million annual funding over a five-year period that IFA believes is necessary to ensure the sector remains secure into the future".

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon confirmed yesterday (Tuesday, October 7) that funding has been allocated under Budget 2026 for a 'Tillage Support Scheme'.

Minister Heydon said that "at least" €50 million would be allocated for this new Tillage Support Scheme, as well as the Protein Aid Scheme and the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).

"The tillage sector is a critical part of agri-food sector producing high-quality animal feed, bedding and ingredients for the food and drinks industry," he added.

Tillage

Last month, around 1,000 farmers attended a tillage crisis meeting organised by the IFA in Co. Kildare.

Kieran McEvoy said the turnout "underlined the genuine concerns tillage farmers have about the future viability of the sector".

“IFA has worked hard to highlight the economic challenges that tillage is facing and made the sector a priority for securing funding in Budget 2026," he said.

"This, it must be noted, is less than the €60 million annual funding proposed in the election manifestos of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael,” McEvoy added.

The IFA Grain Committee chair said that the association will be "front and centre as part of any stakeholder consultation for the tillage support scheme and will insist it is targeted and workable for farmers in this vulnerable sector".