Suckler and sheep farmers have insisted that the new tillage forum meeting this Thursday must address the potential shortage of grain and straw as tillage production falls.

Gavin Carberry, tillage chair of the ICSA, is asking for “solutions that address the needs of each sector without negatively impacting other sectors”.

“What the tillage sector can or cannot produce in any given year has a huge knock-on effect on all the other sectors,” he said.

“Already this year we know the overall tillage area is set to fall by some 8,000ha, and in terms of our ability to supply enough grains for feed or straw for bedding over the winter the outlook does not look good.”

He added that late sowing of spring crops will only add to the already predicted shortage of straw and grain later in the year.

The ICSA is attending the Food Vision tillage group first meeting in Backweston, where it is hoping that more planning for all sectors will be discussed and acted on.

Carberry said he is worried that reaching the aim of the “national tillage area by 52,000ha by 2030 as part of our climate strategy,” might not happen.

The tillage sector is facing many difficulties already this year, he added.

“The weather has been against us in recent weeks, leaving it difficult to continue to sow the grains and cereals. Tillage farmers are also experiencing massive difficulties when it comes to leasing land,” he said, adding that “grain prices are also down to 2018 levels - despite big increases in our costs”.

The ICSA tillage chair concluded that “the Food Vision tillage group will have its work cut out.”