Tax breaks for the long-term leasing of land will top the agenda for next week’s Food Vision 2030 tillage group meeting. Land availability for tillage and tighter regulations around pesticide usage will also be up for discussion.

It is understood that the Department of Agriculture is considering amending the current tax regime, with a view to targeting benefits towards the tillage sector.

However, these moves have stirred tensions among farm representative bodies, with the ICMSA warning that small-scale dairy farms risked being “fatally undermined” by the proposed tax changes.

It is estimated that the overall area under tillage has declined by around 9,000ha this year.