Watch: Minister meeting farm reps over straw scheme
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue is due to meet representatives from the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and others this morning (Thursday, July 18) at Gurteen Agricultural College, Co. Tipperary, to discuss the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).
Yesterday, the minister announced his intention to seek a deferral of the 2024 Straw Incorporation Measure from the European Commission.
Minister McConalogue said yesterday that while he appreciates that tillage farmers “may be disappointed by this move”, there is a “very strong market for straw this year due to the shortage and the need to replenish supplies”.
However president of the IFA, Francie Gorman declared the decision a 'solo run' by the minister and expressed his deep dissatisfaction with the minister's decision to the crowd at a farm talk organised by the IFA in Co. Galway last evening.
Speaking to Agriland at the talk (see video below), Francie Gorman explained that he now wants a u-turn on the matter.
Referring to the scheme yesterday, the minister emphasised the importance of balancing availability of straw in the coming winter and the environmental and soil health benefits of the scheme:
“Last winter, depleted national reserves of straw resulted in very little availability in the early months of this year.
“At present, although growth is improving, the indications are that fodder is still behind where we would like to be.
“It is critically important for all farmers to ensure they have secured supplies of straw and fodder for the winter ahead," the minister said.
Francie Gorman told a large gathering at the IFA farm talk in Co. Galway last night that he is extremely disappointed that a new Farmers' Charter was agreed in the past 10 days and nothing about the decision to pull the measure was mentioned at that time.
"That measure delivered, even environmentally," Gorman stressed to Agriland.
"We're being told to farm environmentally, and the minister cans a scheme, albeit for one year, that was delivering environmentally and economically."
Straw Incorporation Measure
The Straw Incorporation Measure is a payment for chopping straw and incorporating it into the soil.
To qualify for the Straw Incorporation Measure, a farmer must submit a Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application each year declaring the land, grow the eligible crops and apply for SIM.
As soon as possible after the crops have been harvested, the straw must be chopped, spread evenly and incorporated into the soil.
You can get paid on at least 5ha but on no more than 40ha and the payment is €250/ha for oats/rye/wheat/barley and €150/ha for oilseed rape.
