The gap between total "costs and product prices" is driving tillage farmers to exit the sector, TDs and senators were warned today (Wednesday, October 1).

These were just some of the challenges facing the sector which were laid out starkly to members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food by representatives from various farming organisations today.

From the outset the committee chair, Deputy Aindrias Moynihan, acknowledged that key issues such as poor grain prices, imports and the level of support under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) were all factors currently inpacting on the tillage sector.

According to Andy Doyle, chair, Tillage Industry Ireland, the sector has been "discriminated against for decades in policy formulation".

"Convergence of CAP monies plus the introduction of Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) have removed a lot of support from tillage farms and this has led to new challenges in terms of land rental and access to credit," he said.

One of the key themes that was highlighted by many of the farming organisations during the meeting was the expensive struggle by growers to access and secure land.

Many pointed to the pressure that derogation has placed on the availability of land with James Kelly, president of the Irish Grain Growers Group, highlighting that the area under tillage has fallen 40% in 40 years in Ireland.

One reason for this he believes is that tillage farmers have been "priced out" when it comes to land rental costs.

Separately Kieran McEvoy, Irish Farmers' Association grain chair also told TDs and senators that since 2012 the sector has shrunk to sit between 300-335,000 hectares.

"This is not a new challenge; since the end of the EU intervention pricing, Irish and European producers have been totally at the mercy of world commodity market pricing with little or no market protection," he added.

One key message delivered by tillage industry leaders to members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food today was that government support is essential if the sector is to survive.

The Irish Grain Growers Group is seeking €92 million per annum over 5 years while the IFA has called for the introduction of €250/ha tillage survival payment which would total €65 million annually over a 5-year period.

Politicians were left in little doubt at the committee that Budget 2026 could prove a turning point for many tillage farmers.

"Tillage farmers would much prefer to make their living from the skills of their profession but the combined challenges of increasing costs and falling real prices prevent that from happening," the Tillage Industry Ireland chair said.