The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has launched a survey for commercial small and organic growers across the country.
Among the key actions listed in the National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 was to strengthen the position of the smaller growers in the marketplace through direct marketing supports.
The strategy noted that such growers often wish to market direct to consumers or local restaurants but need more assistance from the State to do so.
It added that the growers do not currently see the producer organisation scheme as suitable for
their needs
The department said that there is a need to examine “collaborative options for alternative distribution channels” for these growers.
DAFM
In order to capture the views of the sector, DAFM has launched an anonymous survey to “help capture the value of the smaller and organic grower” and inform future policy decisions.
The department has asked growers to fill in as much detail as they can to give the best possible picture of small and organic farming in Ireland.
It added that any personal data collected as part of this survey will be held by the department in a secure manner and will only be used in connection with this survey.
The closing date for responses to the survey, which is available on the DAFM website and takes an estimated 30 minutes to complete, is April 15, 2024.
The Organic Growers of Ireland (OGI) has also urged growers to take part in the survey,
“Make sure that your voice is heard. The more growers that take part, the more visible organic growers will be,” the representative organisation said in a social media post.
There are now over 5,000 organic farmers in Ireland, with around 5% of land (225,000ha) in the country being farmed organically.
Under the Climate Action Plan there is a target to achieve 10% organic land area by 2030.