€1.3 million in funding has been allocated for a new research project on organic farming being run by Teagasc and University College Dublin (UCD).
The Growing Resilient Organic Farming Systems project will develop sustainable organic grass-based beef and sheep production system blueprints.
The research will also assess the social, environmental and economic impacts of organic beef and sheep systems.
Organic farming
In the last year alone, the number of organic farms in Ireland has doubled as the government aims to reach its target of 10% of land farmed organically by 2030.
However, there is limited research evidence on organic systems to support Irish farmers as convert their enterprises.
The GRO-FarmS project will address this “research gap” and support evidence-based organic farming conversion and best practice adoption in Ireland.
This will involve the development research trials on beef production, sheep finishing, along with an integrated organic drystock and tillage demonstration farm.
The project will be co-ordinated by Dr. Kevin Kilcline from the Teagasc Rural Economy and Development Centre, Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co. Galway.
“Dissemination of the research outputs to the organic farming community will be a key feature of this project.
“The financial benchmarking element of the project will allow us to attain a greater understanding of the financial performance of organic farmers across all the main farming enterprises and will provide an invaluable benchmarking tool for existing and newly converted organic farmers,” Dr. Kilcline said.
The funding for the project is being made available following the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) 2023 Thematic Research Call.
Minister of State at DAFM Pippa Hackett explained that €900,000 would come from her department, with €400,000 from Teagasc.
“Research plays an important role in allowing us to adapt to our changing environment, and to future-proof our farming systems.
“I believe organic farming is a ready-made solution to protect Irish farmers, and to equip them with the tools needed to improve their economic, environmental, and social sustainability in the years ahead.
“It is also the next step in developing Ireland as a world leader in organic farming, on our road to becoming an organic island,” Minister Hackett said.