A call for the fuel support payment to be doubled to 40c per litre for all farmers and agricultural contractors has been made by Macra.

The young farmer organisation also wants young farmers to be prioritised under the extended Fuel Income Support Scheme.

Macra is calling on Government to reopen the scheme to all eligible farmers and contractors, including those who did not apply during the previous round.

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Macra has said it welcomes the Tánaiste Simon Harris’ confirmation that the fuel support scheme will be extended; however, the organisation is looking for more urgent action and for the scheme to be reopened before the end of September to ensure farmers can access support while fuel prices continue to rise.

Macra president Josephine O’Neill said young farmers must be recognised in the design of the extended scheme.

Tighter cash flows

“Young farmers are often operating with tighter cash flow as they establish themselves and build their farm businesses,” she stated.

“A rise in the cost of a fundamental input like diesel can have a disproportionate impact on someone who is starting out, compared with an established farm business.”

Macra says the relatively low uptake seen in the first round of the scheme displays the need to ensure the extended scheme is accessible to a much wider cohort.

“We cannot have a situation where farmers who did not apply during the first round are excluded from accessing support now,” O’Neill explained.

“The circumstances have changed significantly, and the cost of fuel has risen sharply. For some young farmers, the first scheme may not have been considered worthwhile given that the payment was based on just five months of usage at 20c per litre.

“We need to make sure those farmers are not left behind this time.”

In addition, Macra is calling for the extended scheme to recognise green diesel usage across the full nine months of 2026, rather than limiting support to a five-month period.

Immediate support

With approximately €59 million of the original fuel-support funding understood to still be available, Macra says this funding must now be deployed immediately to support farmers facing sharply higher diesel costs.

“Government must act quickly. Farmers and agricultural contractors have been exceptionally busy over the past week, making the most of the good weather to get silage made and slurry spread,” the president said.

“Government has already allocated funding for fuel support, and that money now needs to reach farmers as quickly as possible. Farmers cannot wait until the Budget for support when the pressure is being felt now.

“Government has confirmed that the scheme is being extended – we now need the details, the funding and the application process put in place urgently.

“The scheme should be reopened to all eligible farmers and contractors before the end of September, with a 40c per litre rate, young farmers prioritised within the scheme, and support based on green diesel usage throughout 2026."