Ciarán Cuffe
Question:36 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress to date and plans being made by the organic development committee. [14829/04]
View answerThursday, 20 May 2004
Questions (37)
Written answers
I have recently received a report from the chairman of the organic steering group which I established on the recommendation of the organic development committee to oversee and monitor the implementation of a national organic strategy and provide a basis for advancing the partnership between the organic sector and the other principal essential interests. In his report, the chairman informed me that the main recommendations of the organic development committee have been implemented and work on the others is progressing.
Among the recommendations on which progress has taken place are the following. A partnership expert working group has been set up to co-ordinate, facilitate and monitor the provision of training, education, advice and research and an organic market development group has been established with overall responsibility for developing a national marketing strategy for organic food. A census of Irish organic production was carried out and published in October 2003. My Department's website now includes a dedicated section on organic food and farming. Seven organic demonstration farms have been approved and these farms will provide a very useful means of providing information and data to existing and potential organic producers. Teagasc has also identified advisers nationwide and contact details for these are also available on my Department's website.
Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland have produced publications in the areas of research and advice. Seed research trials for barley, wheat and oats are being carried out by my Department and on the farms of two organic producers. A study of the organic poultry sector is being carried out with funding from my Department and proposals have also been formulated in the area of beef research.
The REPS organic supplementary measure has been reviewed as part of the general review of the scheme and under proposals with the European Commission for approval the maximum level of payment will increase substantially.
I signed a statutory instrument in March which gave full effect to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91, as amended, and to the additional standards contained in chapter 7 of the report of the organic development committee. It gives, inter alia, my Department powers to prosecute those operating illegally. The organic steering group will continue to oversee the implementation of the report’s recommendations.