A massive 676 farmers exited tillage farming in 2026, up from just 11 in 2025. The number of farmers with tillage declined from 11,440 in 2025 to 10,764 in 2026. This is according to figures obtained by the Irish Farmers Journal from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The majority of exits came from smaller farms, with less than 50ha, but the biggest exit was from farms with less than 10ha. Some 466 farms with less than 10ha of tillage in 2025 had no tillage land in 2026. A further 153 farmers left tillage who had 10-30ha of crops, while 47 farmers with 30-50ha of crops left the enterprise.

The only categories to increase in farmer numbers, by very small amounts, were farmers with 100-150ha, or farmers with more than 250ha of tillage crops. See Table 1 for the full details.

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It should be noted that we only have figures on farmer numbers dating back to 2022.

This was the year that the Tillage Incentive Scheme was brought in and saw a dramatic rise in the area of tillage in the country, as the Department tried to incentivise farmers to grow their own forage when the Ukraine war started.

Farmers were paid for two years in this scheme and could also join in 2023, so were still being paid in 2024. Much of this land has now likely returned to grass, going by the numbers in Table 1.

It is no coincidence that the tillage crop area is at its lowest point since 2022 in 2026. In 2022, there were approximately 348,735ha of tillage crops in the country. This was up about 20,000ha on 2021. In 2026, there are an estimated 344,675ha of tillage crops.

The fall has continued despite the Government’s aim to have 400,000ha of tillage crops in the country by 2030. A target that was seen to be out of reach when first introduced, but one that is now firmly a pipe dream without improved support for the sector.

That support could be financial, but in the long-term it needs to be improved market opportunities to create demand for Irish grain – and that means using Irish grain in drinks production, in animal feed production and becoming more sustainable.

Two and three crop rule needs to go

One thing that is very clear from these figures is that crop diversification requirements need to go in the next CAP. If the 153 farms with 10-30ha didn’t have to grow two crops, they may be more inclined to continue to grow tillage crops.

Farms that are trying to be sustainable by growing grain, feed and straw for their livestock are being discouraged by policy made for the vast cropping areas of Europe.

After all, 70% of farms with tillage have less that 30ha of tillage crops. A massive 83% of farms with tillage have less than 50ha of tillage crops. Eleven percent of farms have 50-100ha, 3% have 100-150ha, while only 3% have more than 150ha.

Ireland should use its EU Presidency to try and remove this requirement.

Challenges

Rising input costs, cost of land rental and policy are all making things difficult for tillage farmers.

Grain prices are not lining up with the cost of growing these crops. Yet, tillage farming is the most sustainable of the major farming enterprises.