Agriculture minister to address tillage crisis meeting

Irish Farmers' Association president Francie Gorman said: 'The situation in the tillage sector has reached a crisis point.'

The meeting will take place in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare, on Friday, September 12, at 7:30pm.

Irish Farmers' Association president Francie Gorman is calling on all tillage farmers to attend the organisation's 'National Tillage Crisis Meeting' amid warnings the sector is at "crisis point".

Agriculture minister Martin Heydon will address the meeting, which will take place in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare, on Friday, September 12, at 7:30pm.

Other contributors will include IFA President Francie Gorman; Teagasc Tillage Specialist, Shay Phelan; IFA Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy; Irish Grain Growers Group chairman, James Kelly; Tillage Food Vision Group chairman, Matt Dempsey; and Tillage Industry Ireland chairman, Andy Doyle.

“The situation in the tillage sector has reached a crisis point. With the current indications for feed grain prices, a significant proportion of tillage farmers are facing a loss-making scenario,” Mr Gorman said.

“Government support is unquestionably needed to ensure the tillage sector survives this current crisis, but guarantees on this ahead of Budget 2026 have been far from forthcoming. The minister cannot sit on his hands on this matter.

“The Programme for Government gave a commitment to invest significantly in our tillage sector. We will be urging the minister to honour that promise,” he said.

IFA Grain chairman Kieran McEvoy added: “This meeting is a significant opportunity to task minister Heydon to find a workable solution for our tillage sector. Otherwise, it faces irreversible decline.”