Minister Heydon announces €29.1 million of payments to tillage farmers
- Published on: 23 March 2026
- Last updated on: 23 March 2026
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has today announced the commencement of payments totalling €29.1 million under the new National Tillage Sustainability Support Scheme to 8,554 beneficiaries.
The Minister commented:
“In recognition of the important role the tillage sector contributes to the sustainability of the agri-food sector as a whole and the significant challenges faced by the sector, this payment is a vital injection at a critical time”.
Minister Heydon added:
“As part of Budget 2025, funding of €30 million was secured to ensure the continued sustainability of the sector and allow for a degressive rate of payment to applicants who declared cereal and oilseed rape crops on their 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based application.”
Concluding, the Minister said:
“I secured this funding to help underpin the sector and boost confidence by providing farmers with the necessary financial supports to assist them in the season ahead. The tillage sector is extremely important to this Government, and it is a sector we want to see grow in the years ahead. These payments demonstrate 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.”
Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days.
Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding the Tillage Sustainability Support Scheme payments, can ring the Direct Payments Helpline at 057-8674422 or email tillage@agriculture.gov.ie
ENDS
Notes to Editor
All payments will be subject to the EU rules on de minimis aid as laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) No 3118/2024 regarding de minimis aid in the agricultural production sector.
Eligible crops under the scheme are barley, wheat, oats, rye triticale and oilseed rape.
The eligible crops must have been declared by the applicant on their 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based application.
The following degressive rates of payment are applicable.
|
HA |
Payment Rate |
|
>1ha - </=100 ha |
€110 |
|
>100 ha - </= 125 ha |
€90 |
|
>125 ha - </= 150ha |
€70 |
|
>150 ha |
€50 |
Farmers can ring the Helpdesk at 057-8674422 with any queries they may have or alternatively they can also email tillage@agriculture.gov.ie.