Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:128 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development his policy regarding the future inspection and certification of organic producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22928/00]
Written Answers. - Organic Farming.
The proposed changes for the organic sector in Ireland relate principally to standards for organic food, the introduction of a single national logo and the streamlining of the current inspection arrangements.
Standards for organic crop produce had been fixed since 1991 by EU regulation 2092/91, and on 24 August 2000 this regulation was supplemented by Regulation 1804/99 which set standards for organic livestock produce. Previously there had been no national standards for organic livestock produce. Under Regulation 2092/91 my Department, which is the competent authority under the regulation, had approved three private bodies to inspect and certify organic crop produce. These bodies, in a private capacity, had also been certifying organic livestock produce to standards that they themselves had set.
When the EU regulations were extended to the livestock sector on 24 August, my Department had proposed to adopt standards for such produce in accordance with the regulations. My information is that a number of other member states will certify produce as organic which meets those standards, and my Department had to bear in mind the fact that such produce could not legally be excluded from the Irish market.
However the standards in the regulation did not include all the requirements recommended by the three private bodies, the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, Organic Trust and Demeter Standards limited. Following further discussions on this issue with interested parties including the three private organic bodies and other stakeholders in the organic sector, my Department has moved significantly to address a number of points of concern and other issues may be considered subsequently by the Organic Development Committee which I am establishing in accordance with the recommendation of the Agri-Food 2010 Committee. I am confident that the standards now being set for the organic sector will provide every reassurance to retailers and consumers as to the quality and integrity of Irish organic produce, without compromising the competitiveness of Irish organic producers. My objective is to ensure the continuing growth of the organic sector as part of mainstream farming in Ireland.
My Department will also implement the recommendation in the recent Bord Bia report Prospects for Organic Food in Ireland that there should be one clear national logo for organic food that can be used to market Irish organic food to both domestic and overseas consumers. I am confident that this measure will bring significant benefits to all Irish organic producers and processors.
The Agri-Food 2010 report included a recommendation that a credible regulatory system be put in place for the organic sector and that the existing confusion between competing inspection bodies be ended. In response, I undertook to streamline the inspection arrangements. My objective is to ensure that all organic farmers and processors have ready access to the most efficient, transparent and consistent arrangements for inspection and certification. My Department has recently put proposals to the three private bodies, the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, Organic Trust and Demeter Standards Limited, for a unified inspection and certification system which will achieve this objective while allowing the three bodies to continue to operate their own private arrangements, where their own members are concerned, as heretofore. I understand that the three bodies are currently considering these proposals and I am hopeful for a positive response.