Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has today (Tuesday, December 19) announced that payments totalling €12.3 million have commenced issuing to farmers under the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).
The SIM is a new scheme under Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023 – 2027, which pays tillage farmers for chopping straw and incorporating it into the soil.
Payment rates under the SIM are €250/ha for barley, wheat, oats and rye, and €150/ha for oilseed rape.
Payments are subject to a minimum application of 5ha and a maximum application of 40ha.
Payments
Minister McConalogue said that the SIM payments will be “visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days”.
“This scheme follows on from a successful two-year pilot in operation during 2021 and 2022.
“Payments under this scheme are to provide financial support for tillage farmers to increase soil organic carbon levels by chopping and incorporating straw from cereal crops,” he said.
The minister said that the scheme has proved to be very popular with tillage farmers and “2023 had seen a significant uptake in the number of hectares applied to be incorporated”.
“In recognition of the value straw incorporation delivers in terms of carbon sequestration, I have provided additional funding in 2023 in support of the increased hectares.
“This along with the additional funding provided under the Protein Aid Scheme clearly underlines mine and the government’s long-term commitment to the tillage sector in Ireland,” McConalogue said.
Payments will continue to issue to the tillage sector via the Tillage Incentive Scheme (TIS) which is due to commence issuing payments this week, he added.
The minister said that farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their SIM payment, can ring the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) direct payments helpline at 057-8674422 or by emailing: [email protected].