The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has welcomed today's (Tuesday, June 17) announcement that all applicants for the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) will be accepted.

The scheme is designed to provide financial support for tillage farmers to increase soil organic carbon levels by chopping and incorporating straw from cereal and oilseed rape crops.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed that 3,057 applications for the SIM have been received to date.

Over 66,000ha of cereals and oilseed rape straw has been submitted for chopping and incorporating in 2025.

IFA Grain Committee chair Kieran McEvoy said the decision by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon in relation to the 2025 scheme is "a rare, good news story for a sector badly in need of a lift".

“Straw yields on crops this year will be very varied with crops such as winter barley and winter wheat looking very promising but many spring barley crops unfortunately look set to produce well below average yields of grain and straw and the SIM payment will be a particularly important economic support for these crops,” he said.

McEvoy noted that "income prospects for tillage in 2025 remain on the floor and confidence amongst growers is at very low ebb with many leaving the sector".

"The combination of a decline in world grain markets to prices sub €200/t, high input and overhead costs and very moderate yield prospects for our largest crop; spring barley, will mean margins will decline significantly this year,” he added.

The IFA Grain Committee has called for a five-year €250/ha support payment to be introduced for tillage farmers to help stabilise sector.

"Without further action the tillage area will only decline further which is totally contrary to government policy,” McEvoy warned.