Michael Ring
Ceist:245 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether funding will be available to assist farmers intending to go into the organic REP scheme. [5505/96]
Written Answers. - REP Scheme Funding.
Under the scheme one of the supplementary measures provides financial assistance to participants converting to or continuing with organic farming production systems.
In addition to the basic payment under REPS, further payments varying from £75 to £200 per hectare are available for a maximum of two years. The rates of payment depend on whether the participant is in conversion status or full organic status and on whether the farming enterprise consists of more or less than three hectares of utilisable agricultural land.