The Organic Trust has welcomed the the recent Citizens’ Assembly report on Biodiversity Loss’ report, which underlines the benefits of and encourages organic farming.
The trust stated that it is “delighted” that the report acknowledged the impact that organic food production can have on improving biodiversity, and welcomed the inclusion of two recommendations in the report, which relate specifically to organics.
Recommendations 81 and 82 in the report, which was officially launched yesterday (Wednesday, April 5), outline that the state and its agencies should promote organic farming through a number of subsidies and incentives
The former states that “sufficient resources must be deployed to support an ambitious implementation of Ireland’s Strategy for the Development of the Organic Sector” between 2019 and 2025.
This must be done it says, to ensure that a more supportive environment exists for the medium and long-term development of the industry.
Meanwhile, recommendation 82 states that Bord Bia must significantly increase its promotion of the organic farming sector in Ireland as well as taking actions which would support the EU Farm to Fork Strategy.
Speaking about the report’s encouragement of organic farming, the trust said that the increased funding for this year’s Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) resulted in a strong number of entrants, with 2,000 more applicants than the the previous scheme.
“It is more evident than ever that continued resources must be distributed to support Ireland’s ambitious development strategy for the sector,” it said in a statement.
“There was 89% support for the second recommendation specifying organics.
“[It is] fantastic to see the citizens involved in the report understand that farmers are custodians of the land and that theses custodians require supports to continue to converse and restore biodiversity loss,” the trust added.
However, it added that urgent change is still required given the scale of the biodiversity loss crisis.
“It is critical that members of the Oireachtas study the report, consider its recommendations and act upon them.
“Hopefully by creating well designed and versatile actions that can be used by all stakeholders,” it concluded.