The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said that there are currently no plans to establish a Food Vision Tillage Group.
However, in response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns, the minister did not rule out setting up such a group in the future.
He said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) would continue its “open-door policy of engagement with all relevant tillage stakeholders to grow and realise the potential of this important sector”.
“I am happy to consider any proposal from stakeholders regarding the establishment of such a body,” he said.
Minister McConalogue said that the tillage sector has a vital role in enabling Ireland to become a world leader in sustainable food systems.
“It is the most carbon efficient sector of Irish agriculture and it is my ambition to grow the area under tillage production while further enhancing its environmental credentials,” he said.
The minister listed policy interventions and supports for the sector including the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM); the Protein Aid Scheme; the Tillage Incentive Scheme; and the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme.
“My department engages with various tillage stakeholder groups on an ongoing basis including the Teagasc Tillage Crop Stakeholder Consultative Group, the Irish Protein Stakeholders Group and the tillage representative groups,” he said.
Tillage group
The parliamentary question followed a recent call made by the Irish Grain Growers’ Group (IGGG) on the government to set up a new Food Vision Tillage Group.
The organisation said that its members are concerned that no real emphasis is being placed on the future of the tillage sector by the government at this time.
“The fear we have as tillage farmers is that when budgets are set aside by government departments to tackle climate change the emphasis and budget will be put towards the problems of dairy, beef and sheep sectors.”
The organisation also said it is important that farmers know what funding could be available to the tillage sector in this context.
IGGG said that due to Budget 2023 where it claimed there “were no new tillage-related recommendations” farmers are now concerned about the long-term outlook for the sector.
It added that Irish tillage farmers believe there is a reluctance to push and promote native Irish grain and pulses.