Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 1

Written Answers. - Organic Farming.

Liam Lawlor

Question:

108 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will defer any proposed changes in the certification system for organic farming until he sets up the organic development committee and considers its findings; if he will have considerations made, in the context of the 2001 Estimates, into the provision of funding for support groups (details supplied) whose future is jeopardised by the threatened removal of their certification function; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21826/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

My Department is the competent authority under the EU regulations governing the organic sector and is required to set up an inspection system operated by one or more designated inspection authorities and-or by approved inspection bodies.

Standards for organic crop produce had been fixed since 1991 by EU Regulation 2092/91 and on 24 August 2000 this regulation was supplemented by Regulation 1804/99 which sets standards for organic livestock produce. Under Regulation 2092/91 my Department has approved three private bodies to inspect and certify organic crop produce. These bodies, in a private capacity, had also been certifying organic livestock produce to standards that they themselves had set. When the livestock sector was brought within the ambit of Regulation 2092/91 in August, however, my Department as the competent authority was obliged to make arrangements for its inspection.

The AgriFood 2010 Report had 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 that the three bodies are currently considering these proposals and I am hopeful for a positive response.

Funding for an inspection system has been included in my Department's Estimate for 2001. While provision has been made in the Estimates for a scheme for development of the organic sector under the regional operational programmes, the details of the supports under the scheme, including consideration of any potential involvement of groups such as Organic Trust, IOFGA and Demeter, have not yet been finalised.