Agriculture minister, Charlie McConalogue, was conspicuous by his absence from the 2024 National Tillage Conference, hosted by Teagasc.
Of course, it is more than possible that other diary commitments might have prevented him from making the journey to Kilkenny.
Under those circumstances, surely a ministerial colleague could have stepped into the breach. However, such was not case this week.
Those not directly involved with tillage might think that such a scenario reflects one of two things – a lack of government interest in the sector, or the possibility that tillage farmers find themselves, very much, in a ‘rancho relaxo’ state of mind.
Let’s hope that the first scenario above is not the reality. As for the second option, we all know that the polar opposite is the true reality.
Irish tillage
Where Irish tillage is concerned, there has never been more to talk about and make decisions around, than is the case right now.
The scale of the disaster that was 2023 for the entire sector is now obvious.
Put this issue together with the promises of support for tillage made by Minister McConalogue, courtesy of the 2024 Budget, and one is left asking the fundamental question – does the government really have a cohesive real plan for the sector moving forward?
Meanwhile, the work of the Food Vision Tillage Group continues apace. Chair of the group, Matt Dempsey, gave a very upbeat presentation to a conference in Northern Ireland last week.
He highlighted the commitment of the Irish government to support the tillage sector into the future. Moreover, there are a number of possible policy scenarios now being looked at to convert this potential into reality.
Irish tillage farmers are really hurting at the present time – they need some promise of hope for the future.
Otherwise, the industry will continue to decline and the aspiration to achieve a cropping area of 400,000ha by 2030 will not be achieved.
Perhaps it is government policy to align itself with the recommendations of the Food Vision Tillage Group.
Right now, farmers are left only to speculate on the matter. This is because no government minister thought it necessary to attend this week’s tillage conference.
It is, after all, the flagship event of the year for those Irish farmers with a bespoke commitment to crop production.
For the record, this fact was totally endorsed by the tremendous turnout for the conference.