Tillage farmers entered into the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM), who are currently cutting winter barley, still do not know if they have been accepted into the measure. They have been left in limbo on whether to chop this week.

There are just over 5,200ha of winter barley entered into the SIM and decision letters have not yet been issued by the Department.

With a large amount of winter barley and other winter crops being cut this week and into the weekend, farmers are looking for answers, IFA grain chair John Murphy told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“We are hoping that they can find a budget and it's an ask of [the] IFA at the minute, as it puts a floor under the straw market," Murphy explained.

“We have spoken to the minister and the Department and we are still in talks with them.

Negative position

“It’s also a thing where a farmer probably entered into the straw chopping scheme last May, doing their budget on getting paid x amount of money for the straw incorporation measure and without that measure being there, it turns growing... crops into a negative position, if you look at the Teagasc figures – which is a very worrying thing.

“I believe the Department can find the money, I believe the minister has our back on it, I believe he can come up with it, but it’s just a timing issue now... there’s combines starting to roll as we speak and people need clarity.”