Agriculture Committee resumes discussion on Organic Farming

The Committee will meet with representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and Bord Bia. The meeting will be in two sessions:

• Session 1 - (15:30 - 16:30) - Representatives from Teagasc and Bord Bia
• Session 2 - (16:30 - 17:30) - Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Speaking in advance of the meeting, Cathaoirleach, Jackie Cahill TD, said: “The Committee hopes to continue its conversation on the Organic Farming Scheme with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine which aims to encourage farmers to produce livestock and crop products according to European Union organic standards. We look forward to getting some up-to-date data and discussing the important issues around the scheme.

The Committee and I also welcome the opportunity to discuss the challenges and issues with Teagasc and Bord Bia and to explore the changes that could be made to encourage more uptake in organic farming and promote organic food to consumers.”

The Cathaoirleach added: “The Committee welcomes further conversation around the organic sector, where Ireland is placed in the sector and if there are certain areas we should be looking at to make organic farming more sustainable and attractive to traditional farmers such as awareness, training and education, policy changes and extra supports.”

The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

You can view the meeting in Committee Room 3 on the Oireachtas website. More information can be found on the dedicated Committee Webpage. Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.