From:Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has today announced that all applicants for the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) have been accepted into the scheme for 2026.

“The Straw Incorporation Measure has again proven to be a very popular scheme with tillage farmers, with over 73,000 hectares of cereals and oilseed rape straw submitted for chopping and incorporating in 2026. The claims submitted are however in excess of the €10 million budget for the scheme.”

“I want to ensure all farmers have access to the scheme and so I will seek to identify the extra funding to allow this to happen. SIM brings benefits not only to farmers in terms of the financial support, but it also is hugely positive for the environmental sustainability of the sector.”

Concluding, Minister Heydon said:

“While farmers will receive their acceptance letters for SIM in the coming days, it is possible for farmers to withdraw from the scheme at this point where they have identified a need for the straw.”

Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their Straw Incorporation payment, can ring the Direct Payments Helpline at 057-8674422 or by email [email protected]

The Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) is a scheme under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023 - 2027.

The scheme is designed to provide financial support for tillage farmers to increase soil organic carbon levels by chopping and incorporating straw from cereal and oilseed rape crops.

The rate of payment in 2026 will be €250 per hectare for Oats, Wheat, Rye and Barley and €150 for Oilseed Rape, with a minimum claim of five hectares and maximum claim of 40 hectares.

3,242 applications have been received to date.

To note that the figures below represent the areas applied for under SIM and these will be higher than the final payable areas. Applicants can apply for greater than 40 hectares under SIM, but payment is maxed at 40 hectares.

Any applicants wishing to withdraw from the Straw Incorporation Measure or reduce their area may do so in duly justified cases if the applicant has not been notified of an issue with their application or notified of an inspection.

Farmers can ring the Helpdesk at 057-8674422. Farmers can also submit any queries they may have online viawww.agfood.ieor by email [email protected]