Tillage farmers came under further pressure this week with complete cuts to malting contracts in Co Laois, an area associated with malting barley.

It’s hard to understand how this stacks up on sustainability when the growers are just a few miles from the malting plant.

It’s another blow to tillage at a difficult time. Minister Heydon needs to speed up the €30m payment to all growers.

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This week, the IFA has gone back to asking for the €65m promised in election manifestos and looking at the sector at present, it would all be needed.