Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has today (Wednesday, July 22) announced that all applicants for the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) have been accepted into the scheme for 2026.

The minister said that the SIM has again proven to be a very popular scheme among tillage farmers.

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.

Over 73,000ha of cereals and oilseed rape straw have been submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) for chopping and incorporating in 2026.

"The claims submitted are however in excess of the €10 million budget for the scheme," Minister Heydon noted.

Straw Incorporation Measure

It has been known for some weeks that the number of SIM applications has exceeded the annual funding threshold of €10 million that is available for the measure.

The rate of payment in 2026 will be €250 per hectare for Oats, Wheat, Rye and Barley and €150 for Oilseed Rape, with a minimum claim of five hectares and maximum claim of 40 hectares.

If the entire area submitted receives the recommended funding levels per hectare recommended under SIM then it is estimated that an additional €6.8 million would be needed to cover this requirement.

Minister Heydon has indicated that he will seek additional funding for the measure.

"SIM brings benefits not only to farmers in terms of the financial support, but it also is hugely positive for the environmental sustainability of the sector," the minister said.

Minister Heydon added: "While farmers will receive their acceptance letters for SIM in the coming days, it is possible for farmers to withdraw from the scheme at this point where they have identified a need for the straw".

Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their Straw Incorporation Measure payment, can ring the Direct Payments Helpline at 057-8674422 or by email to [email protected].

Scheme

DAFM has confirmed that 3,242 applications for SIM have been received to date.

The following list represents the areas applied for under SIM in 2026:

Winter wheat: 14,781ha;
Winter barley: 5,202ha;
Winter oats: 8,337ha;
Spring wheat: 1,627ha;
Spring barley: 18,845ha;
Spring oats: 8,272ha;
Rye: 1,209ha;
Winter oilseed rape: 14,318ha;
Spring oilseed rape: 581ha.

However, the department noted that these will be higher than the final payable areas.

Applicants can apply for greater than 40ha under SIM, but payment is maxed at 40ha.