Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has announced the commitment of a €100/ha support for tillage farmers who plant in 2024.
The minister made the announcement at the Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre today (Saturday, April 13).
Minister McConalogue said: “I want to help tillage farmers have the confidence to plant in 2024, so I am committing that I will find a mechanism to support any farmer that puts seed in the soil this year.
“Tillage farmers are fearful, unsure of what or when it will be possible to plant their crops and what it will be possible to yield, as the weather continues to impact.
“Fianna Fáil is absolutely committed to increasing our tillage area and despite the restraints of my existing budget I am committing to deliver €100/ha for tillage farmers who plant field crops in 2024,” he added.
“Many farmers feel maligned and like second class citizens. That is wrong and a narrative that must be stopped in its tracks.
“I want to see farmers confident in what they do, confident in what deliver and confident in the future of their industry. I am both listening and acting and that is why today I am making this commitment to our tillage sector,” he added.
Minister McConalogue committing supports
Outlining the recent supports put in place due to the weather, the minister said: “I committed over €100 million to fodder supports over the last two years.
“This built-up stocks on farms meaning we don’t have a national shortage like we did when the weather hit us hard such as most recently in 2018.
“I also acted decisively pausing non-essential inspections and tasking Teagasc with coordinating the movement of fodder supplies between farmers. This week I introduced an economic support measure to facilitate the transport of fodder,” the minister said.
Minister McConalogue also detailed that the retention of the nitrates derogation is an objective he is “absolutely focused on securing”.
“As well as working intensively with stakeholders, I also committed, with my colleague Minister Daragh O’Brien, €60m to a water project that will drive change at farm level where it can really make a difference,” the minister added.