The tillage crisis fund has formally been launched, with applications now being accepted from farmers for the €1.5m fund. The scheme will officially be known as the “2017 Weather Related Crop Loss Support Measure”.

As revealed last week, the maximum compensation will be €10,500 (€300/ha x 35ha), applying to farmers who lost over 50% of their acreage.

There is a tolerance of 20% for on-farm consumption of grain. Losses that are covered by an insurance policy are not take into account.

Records must be supplied for the affected 2016 harvest, and also for the three preceding harvests of 2013-2015.

As the scheme is goverended by de minimis State aid rules, the combined total of monies recieved under this and any other State aid schemes cannot exceed €15,000 over the 2015-2017 period.

In order to avail of the fund, farmers must itemise crop losses for barley, wheat, oats, and oilseed rape. Only spring, not winter crops, are eligible for the scheme. Applications can be made online or on paper, and must be lodged by 25 August.

Announcing the scheme on Wednesday, Minister Creed said he had always stated that there was a will to support those worst-affected farmers.

“The challenge was to find a way that ensured support was focused and targeted at those most impacted, while also ensuring prudent expenditure of public finances. I am pleased that a way has now been found – through positive dialogue and engagement. I am satisfied that the measure of a €1.5 million maximum scheme addresses both of these requirements.

“The logical conclusion of the fund remaining at €1.5m is that the increase in the upper limit of compensation will mean that less farmers will benefit from the scheme, or those funds.”

IFA president Joe Healy said the key now is to get the scheme up and running: “Grain farmers have had to endure a long wait for this scheme,” he said.

”IFA’s campaign highlighted the severe impact on their incomes and insisted that a credible scheme had to be put in place. This culminated in the IFA grain committee being forced to take action by occupying the Department’s offices for six days.

Speaking on behalf of south Cork growers, Jim O’Regan was critical of the package.

“Growers are dismayed with the demanding criteria, with all the attendant paperwork being sought as the 2017 harvest is upon us and occupying every waking hour of growers. The deadline of 25 August – in one month’s time – is unacceptable,” he said.

“The lack of recognition for the losses in the autumn /winter of 2015, which compounded the subsequent harvest losses, has also disappointed. Most affected farmers also lost all their straw, which has not been recognised by the scheme, further compounding the hardship. We are extremely critical of the deal, and of IFA for accepting the deal,” he concluded.