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Organic Farming

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Questions (82)

Brian Stanley

Question:

82. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for re-opening an organic horticulture scheme. [41605/19]

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Written answers

Latest figures indicate that there are now some 72,000 hectares under organic production in Ireland, an increase of nearly 50% on the position at the start of the current Rural Development Programme in 2014.

Following the recommendation of the Organic Strategy Group, my colleague Minister Doyle announced the re-opening of the Organic Farming Scheme on a targeted basis on the 19 November 2018. The areas targeted were areas for which there is a clear market demand, and which are critical to the further development of the Organic Sector namely horticulture, cereals and dairy. The Scheme remained opened for applications up to the 19 December and a total of 225 applications were received. The re-opening of the scheme was widely publicised at the time and all groups and their representatives on the Organic Strategy Group also publicised it to their members.

The Organic Farming Scheme, under the current RDP, has more than achieved its targets in terms of new land converted and the maintenance of organic land. The current budget allocation for the Organic Farming Scheme is now fully committed based on the current level of farmers in the scheme and I have no plans to re-open the scheme beyond last year's re-opening.

The Organic Strategy Group, in their deliberations considered the question of the Organic Farming Scheme post-2020. The inclusion of an Organic Farming Scheme in a new Rural Development Programme was recommended to stimulate and support increased organic food productions. As there will be more scope for adjustments to the scheme under a new Rural Development Programme, consideration was given by the Group to how it might operate more effectively in stimulating organic production in areas where market opportunities are greater.

CAP negotiations, currently in progress, will ultimately guide and shape the Organic Farming Scheme under the new RDP. I would urge all stakeholders to engage with the CAP consultation process currently underway and make their views known on a future scheme for the organic sector.

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