Matt Dempsey believes that the tillage sector is pushing at, pretty much, an open door in getting government support.
However, this comes with the caveat that the support schemes agreed will be one-off in nature, he said.
Dempsey is the chair of the Food Vision Tillage Group, the initial report from which is expected very shortly.
The current Tillage Edge podcast provides Dempsey with an opportunity to reflect on the work of the group up to this point.
Dempsey pointed out that Food Vision 2030 lays out targets for all the farming sectors.
“Where tillage is concerned, the objectives are very specific. This approach may well underlie a belief that crops were semi-neglected in the past,” he said.
“Currently, the farm minister and senior civil servants are very engaged, where tillage is concerned.
“The main objective now is to increase the tillage area from the current figure of 320,000ha up to 400,000ha.
“The actual cereal acreage has been in slight decline for a considerable time. This has been masked by an increase in the area of bans and oilseed rape grown in Ireland.
“But this is not enough. And the trend is clearly there.”
Dempsey went on to point out that the current debate around tillage also overlaps the discussion on nitrates.
“Tillage is very well placed to relieve the livestock pressure regarding the acres under grass,” he said.
“There is also an appreciation that tillage feeds into other sectors, including the food and drink industry.
“This leads to crops becoming an important component of national output.”
Tillage Industry Ireland
According to Dempsey, the driving force behind the new vision group was the formation of Tillage Industry Ireland.
This brought together all those bodies with a vested interest in the development of the crops’ sector.
The new Food Vision Tillage Group has added to the scope of Tillage Industry Ireland, bringing together a total of 30 organisations around the same table.
“One of the most positive developments to have come out of the discussions held to date is the fact that there has been no grand standing on the part of those involved,” Dempsey said.
“We have had six meetings so far. Our interim report has been produces, which contains a list of recommendations and actions.
“But the real trick will be to get a final report out, which everyone is prepared to stand behind from a political point of view.”