Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett welcomed an award today (Monday, December 4) by the EU Commission of €2.2 million towards a Bord Bia led organic promotion campaign.
The campaign will begin in spring 2024, and will also see funding €500,000 from Bord Bia, to give a record spend of €2.7 million on marketing organic product in the next three years.
The objectives of the programme are to increase awareness of the positive environmental, sustainability and animal welfare attributes of pasture fed organic beef and sheep meat.
Campaign activities will include advertising and trade fairs, meat academy events and study trips.
Minister Hackett congratulated Bord Bia on their successful application and the significant increase in focus on the organic sector.
Minister Hackett said: “The supports will help to drive the growth in the sector and benefit Irish organic farmers, our soil, our environment and the growing numbers of organic consumers.
“It is further evidence of this governments commitment to the organic sector and to achieving our climate action plan target of 10% of land area farmed organically by 2030.”
Organic promotion
Bord Bia chief executive, Jim O’Toole, said that Bord Bia will “intesify” support for the organic sector by focusing on European markets, which have been identified as having the highest growth potential for organic beef and lamb exports.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, said the organic promotion will raise the understanding of pasture fed organic beef and lamb.
Minister McConalogue added: “This government is investing heavily in organics, and that investment has been met with huge interest by farmers. It is an imperative for success that the ambition of both our new and existing organic farmers merits a return for their transition.”