Vol. 523 No. 4
82 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason his Department has decided to remove the right of the three organic bodies to issue licences to organic producers; and the terms and guidelines for licences which will be administered by his Department. [21087/00]
The AgriFood 2010 Report included a recommendation that a credible regulatory system be put in place for the organic sector and that the existing confusion between competing inspection bodies be ended. In response, I undertook to streamline the inspection arrangements. My objective is to ensure that all organic farmers and processors have ready access to the most efficient, transparent and consistent arrangements for inspection and certification. My Department has recently put proposals to the three private bodies, the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, Organic Trust and Demeter Standards Limited, for a unified inspection and certification system which will achieve this objective while allowing the three bodies to continue to operate their own private arrangements, where their own members are concerned, as heretofore. I understand the three bodies are currently considering these proposals and I am hopeful that the response will be positive.
