Vol. 551 No. 2
194 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he has considered the need for comprehensive research into organic horticulture methods suitable for the west of Ireland; and the nature of the achievements of his Department in relation to organic farming and horticulture as an alternative to mainstream agriculture. [9977/02]
As I informed the Deputy in answer to Question No. 188 on 7 March last I established an organic development committee in November 2000, as recommended in the report of the Agri-Food 2010 Committee. The committee is in the final stages of its deliberations and will submit its report shortly. I am aware that the committee – on which Teagasc is represented along with the Western Development Commission and all the major stakeholders in the organic sector – has given particular consideration to the areas of research, advice, training and education and will be making recommendations on these subjects that are designed to enhance the scope for the development of the organic sector in the west and throughout the country. I look forward to receiving the committee's report and I will give careful consideration to their recommendations.
I am anxious that organic farming should be recognised not so much as an alternative to mainstream agriculture but rather as a part of it, offering real opportunities to Irish farmers in an expanding and potentially very lucrative market. While I expect the recommendations of the organic development committee to make a major contribution to the development of policy for the organic sector, my Department has already given very substantial support to the sector through the rural environmental protection scheme and the scheme of grant aid for the development of the organic sector. Under the first REPS scheme, introduced in 1994, 821 organic farmers received financial support totalling over €28 million and I am hopeful that under the new scheme which began in 2000 this achievement will be considerably surpassed. For the period to 2006 the Government have provided over €8 million for the scheme of grant aid for the development of the organic sector to support both on-farm and off-farm investment, and I would encourage both farmers and food processors to make use of this scheme to develop their activities in a way that will allow them to seize the opportunities offered by the growing demand for organic produce.
