“It’s hard to keep positive, but we’re all in this together.”

These are the opening words used by Teagasc’s Michael Hennessy as he introduces this week’s Tillage Edge podcast.

Given current circumstances, it’s a phrase that is just so appropriate.

From my own perspective, it would be tempting to add, “the darkest hour is just before dawn”.

But the question then becomes – how close are we to the dawning of a new day, where Irish tillage is concerned?

Hard to stay positive

The reality is that events are now taking place at a pace that exceeds the capacity of tillage stakeholders to actually contextualise what’s really going on.

For one thing, the weather continues to exert an absolute stranglehold on the tillage sector. The few winter crops that have been sown out are really struggling.

And such is the parlous state of ground conditions that the reality of getting any more planting carried out before next spring seems totally remote.

Meanwhile, the carryover of debt on tillage farms from the 2023 harvest is immense. A combination of poor yields and equally disappointing prices has holed business incomes below the water line.

Cashflow is king within any business. All the potential in the world counts for nothing unless there are sufficient funds in the bank to make the here-and-now a reality.

These developments are taking place against the backdrop of tillage farmers knowing they have been absolute hostages to fortune. They have no control over the weather. Nor can they influence international commodity markets.

Tillage outlook

Meanwhile, Ireland’s climate change mitigation strategy references the importance of expanding the tillage sector.

But how can this be achieved with all growers up to their necks in debt?

In truth, the question is fast becoming – how do we keep the tillage sector that we have, intact?

In ways that seem almost oblivious to this, the Food Vision Tillage Group continues to look to the future.

In my opinion, this is fast becoming an exercise akin to the orchestra playing on the deck of the Titanic as the sheep slipped slowly into the depths.

Yes, tillage had a great year in 2022. But whatever fat was in the system has long been wiped out given the travails endured by growers over the past 12 months.

The only player on the field that can make a real difference, at this stage, in determining the future of Irish tillage is the government.

The €8 million support package currently on the table is derisory.

In my opinion there is an absolute onus on agriculture minister, Charlie McConalogue, to visit a number of tillage farms that have been so badly hit in 2023. After that, he can get the ‘proverbial’ cheque book out.