‘Call to double fuel support
Macra na Feirme is approaching The Budget announcement with a recommendation that the fuel support payment should be doubled to 40 cents per litre for all farmers and agricultural contractors whilst ensuring that young farmers - Macra’s constituency - are granted priority within the extended Fuel Income Support Scheme.
The president of the body, Josephine O’Neill, also said that the scheme needs to be made available to all eligible farmers and contractors, including those who did not apply in the earlier round. Revising the entire scheme to incorporate all eligible factors to ensure that all farmers are protected from the ravages of escalating fuel costs is a vital aspect of The Budget.
“Young farmers are often operating with tighter cash flow as they try to establish themselves and build their farm businesses. A rise in the cost of a fundamental input like diesel can have a disproportionate impact on someone who is just starting out,” she pointed out.
Over 29,000 farmers and contractors did receive support in the opening round of the scheme, which equated to 20 cents per litre for green diesel but this time around, nobody should be left behind. This is a critical point in the year when silage stocks are constituted and slurry is spread and it is vital that they are able to undertake these tasks before winter weather arrives.
“Anyone on the roads this week will have seen the scale of activity, with tractors, harvesters, silage wagons and bale trailers out across the country. The extension of the slurry spreading deadline gives farmers some additional breathing space, but the pressure on farms has not gone away. Farmers and contractors are putting in long hours to get essential work completed and address fodder deficits, while green diesel prices have risen sharply. This is when fuel costs are being felt most acutely,” Josephine O’Neill said.
Applying a fuel support grant of 40 cents per litre would be of great assistance to getting through until growth commences again. The spring in 2026 came late, so adequate support for farmers now is essential.
Slurry spreading permitted for additional week
Slurry spreading on farms, one of the means by which farmers are enabled to use waste product to enhance the fertility of their holdings each year, will be permitted for a further week this year.
The government, through the relevant Ministers Martin Heydon and James Browne, has issued a notice to provide an extension of one week to the period permitting the spreading of slurry in the autumn of 2026.
This allowance has been agreed upon as a result of the consequences of a fine summer which has produced a significant surge in grass growth across several parts of the country which experienced drought during the summer months. The extension reflects a recognition that the conditions this year have complicated spreading proposals, but the ministers warn that department inspectors have been directed to take zero-tolerance approaches to anyone found distributing slurry or soiled water during the closed period.
Under the revised schedule, the spreading of slurry will continue to be permitted up to Wednesday next, October 7th.
“The Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations provide for an extension to the slurry spreading period in exceptional circumstances where defined criteria have been met. We are satisfied those criteria have been met this year and in response a one-week extension has been granted,” the press release from the two ministers stated.
Individuals who wish to benefit from the extension are required to register their plans to the Department of Agriculture in advance of commencing spreading and this requirement may be fulfilled through connecting toemailingnitrates@agriculture.gov.ie or by phoning 053 916 3425 and quoting their herd numbers.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
