Payments worth €4.8 million have commenced issuing to farmers today (Wednesday, December 11) under the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).
Payments under the scheme are to provide financial support for tillage farmers to increase soil organic carbon levels by chopping and incorporating straw from cereal crops.
The rate is €250/ha for oats, wheat, barley and rye and a lower rate of €150 for oilseed rape straw. In line with previous years, not all applications are currently cleared for payment under the measure.
The number of participants paid per county, along with the total amount can be seen below:
County SIM paid Amount (€) Carlow 80 348,298.60 Cavan 2 3,829.50 Clare 0 – Cork 118 492,408.75 Donegal 25 66,866.00 Dublin 54 318,262.50 Galway 14 53,890.67 Kerry 11 47,323.25 Kildare 77 351,771.62 Kilkenny 44 158,136.50 Laois 51 174,938.50 Leitrim 2 4,742.50 Limerick 2 11,600.00 Longford 1 2,120.00 Louth 99 402,949.17 Mayo 0 – Meath 148 676,867.95 Monaghan 6 14,966.00 Offaly 28 99,615.50 Roscommon 4 15,582.50 Sligo 0 – Tipperary 80 334,573.50 Waterford 22 89,515.00 Westmeath 35 143,985.50 Wexford 206 847,007.29 Wicklow 46 208,010.97 Total 1,155 4,867,261.77
A new Baling Assistance Payment was introduced in 2024 as an additional scheme to bolster fodder supplies.
The payment allowed farmers the flexibility to choose whether to receive funding by chopping straw under SIM or by baling it under the new payment. Payment is set at €175/ha for SIM eligible parcels withdrawn from the SIM scheme where the straw has been baled.
Where farmers chose to withdraw from SIM in the summer and enter the Baling Assistance Payment scheme, they will receive payment in the early part of 2025.
On announcing the payments, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said: “The summer of 2024 was a challenging time with reduced stocks of fodder leading to real pressure on supplies.
“Despite these pressures, I was able to ensure the SIM continued, while also supporting the production of fodder through the Baling Assistance Payment”.
“Any outstanding payments due under the SIM will continue to be paid in the coming weeks as queries are resolved where farmers have partially or fully withdrawn from SIM,” Minister McConalogue said.
Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days. Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their SIM payment can ring the Direct Payments Helpline.