A new National Tillage Sustainability Support Scheme has been announced by the agriculture minister Martin Heydon. This, along with high costs of production, has placed considerable strain on growers’ margins.”Funding of €30m has been allocated in Budget 2026 for a new tillage support scheme. Eligible crops under the scheme are barley, wheat, oats, rye, triticale and oilseed rape. The tillage sector is extremely important to this Government, and it is a sector we want to see grow in the years ahead. "This scheme demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting the sector and advances the commitment set out in the programme for government, as well as a key recommendation in the Food Vision Tillage Group Report regarding the importance of delivering significant supports for the tillage sector.”

Source: Irish Examiner February 27, 2026 17:12 UTC