With over 5,000 organic farmers now in Ireland, it is fair to say that the interest in the sector has never been higher.
Ireland’s Climate Action Plan has set a target of 10% of the country’s land area being farmed organically by 2030.
This is being supported by an enhanced budget for organics of €256 million in Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan.
Higher farm input costs, particularly for fertiliser, coupled with increased payments under the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) have lead many farmers to give serious consideration to conversion.
An additional 1,050 farmers joined OFS this year meaning the land area farmed organically will now be approximately 225,000ha (5%).
Organic farming series
Next week, Agriland Media, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), will bring readers an in-depth series on organic farming.
Over the course of the week, the series will include interviews with Minister of State at DAFM with responsibility for organics, Pippa Hackett, organic farm advisors and a visit to an organic farm.
There will also be a panel discussion in the Agriland studio in Dublin with several guests, including the head of the organic unit in the department of agriculture, Jack Nolan.
Along with the opportunities and challenges currently facing the organic sector, the series will examine markets, the role of farm advisors, along with how to sustain growth in the sector.
The farm visit taking place on the lands of Liam O’Toole in Co. Wicklow will focus on the organic tillage sector.
It follows the results of a DAFM survey released this week which revealed that over 50,000t of organic feed is needed to meet requirements for next winter 2024/2025.
A total of 912 organic farmers participated in the survey, which is approximately 25% participation rate among the cohort of farmers in organics before the 2024 intake.
Based on the replies, it is estimated that overall demand for concentrates will be around 33,000t.
Some 20,000t of straights, 6,000t of protein crops and 50,000 bales of fodder will also be needed to meet demand.
The first part of the series will feature on the Agriland website and app next Monday (February 26).