Time to stack your entitlement

FARMERS attending the Teagasc National Tillage Conference in Carlow last week were told five out of six of them will be better off stacking their Single Payment entitlements this year.

Even when they give up rented land, and “stack” entitlements on owned land, only the most efficient tillage farms can hold on to the full value of their Single Farm Payment. Most will have to “subsidise” their farming from the December Single Payment cheque.

However, it was made clear at the conference that their returns from cereal production could increase in the medium term, if they reduce their farming costs.