Farmers hoping to see some leniency on the two-crop rule could be disappointed, as draft text on the simplification rules announced last week states only holdings under 30ha will be exempt from crop diversification requirements.

The two-crop rule currently impacts those with a cropping area of 10ha to 30ha, so the impact of simplification rules would not affect as many farms as thought last week.

The Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) is currently contacting MEPs to lobby for a change to the new text to ensure that those with a cropping area less than 30ha do not have to comply with the requirements of growing two crops.

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At present, farmers with 10ha to 30ha of tillage crops must grow two crops on their farms. This has caused some farmers to reduce tillage area.

It has also seen crops being grown that are not as profitable for the farmer and are not in demand in the market, such as oats.

Decline

A massive 72% of farms with tillage in Ireland have less than 30ha of crops. In 2024, 3,730 growers had 10ha to 30ha of tillage crops on their farms. This was a decline from 4,034 in 2022 and 3,872 in 2023.

Joint secretary of the IGGG Clive Carter told the Irish Farmers Journal that crop diversification rules are an impediment to tillage and will impact dramatically on smaller farms.

He expressed disappointment at news that the rule refers to a holding rather than the cropping area.

“We would have hoped that simplification would have made things simpler for growers, but this rule is now complicated.

“The change is not going to have the same impact on smaller, mixed tillage growers as hoped.”

The IGGG has also looked to have the requirement for growers with 30ha or more growing at least three crops increased to 50ha.