Nolan: ‘Going organic with less cattle can boost beef farm incomes’

Switching to organic farming will mean reducing the stocking rate on many beef farms, however it will “maximise the money coming in and improve the bottom line”.

That’s according to head of the organics and market supports division at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Jack Nolan.

Speaking at an organic farm walk in Co. Tipperary recently, Nolan, who was previously senior inspector at the nitrates, biodiversity and engineering division but is now head of the organics division, explained his reasoning: “When you look at the Teagasc National Farm Survey, between 90-138% of beef farmers’ income is coming from direct payments.”

He explained that when such a high percentage of beef farmers’ income is coming from direct payments, “farmers will be looking to maximise this”.

Nolan gave an overview of the additional funding that is available to farmers who make the switch to organics and enter the five-year organic scheme.

He said: “Dairy farmers will receive an organic payment of €350/ha for the first two years and €300/ha after that, while drystock farmers will be paid €300/ha for first two years and €250/ha after that.”

New rates of organics payments according to DAFM:

Nolan continued: “In the first year of organics, a €2,000 lump sum payment is available to cover costs like training and attending events.

“For the next four years, €1,400/year will be available to cover training costs so the rates for a drystock farmer are gone up by about 50-60%.

“For a dairy farmer, they’re up more – maybe 70-80% – and tillage payments that used to be €200/ha will now be up at €270/ha. For horticulture, it’s gone from €300/ha up to €800/ha.

“The next scheme is going to be open in October and it will be a great opportunity for people to come in when you see the level of support that’s coming,” he said.

The department’s head of market supports continued: “The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) is going to go to at least 50% and any scheme that comes forward, you get priority access to it.

“The new The Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) will give priority access to anyone that’s a registered organic farmer.

“Its not a retirement scheme, there’s people in organic farming from age 18 up to 91 in Ireland, and the average age of organic farmers is lower there’s better succession rates and younger people are more interested in it.”

Nolan told attendees at the farm walk that there’s “a huge drive coming from Bord Bia” to make sure there’s a market for organic produce.

He added: “It always pops up that if we get more organic farmers, we will flood the market but currently, only 0.5% of the beef produced in Ireland is organic.”

The department’s head of the organics and market supports division added that many of the measures that are required in the switch to organic farming “are coming in anyway” and rhetorically asked farmers: “Why not get paid for them and why not be in at the start?”

“This is going to tip in the next couple of years as more and more farmers join it,” he said.

“Teagasc is putting six new organic advisors in place, the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) are hosting organic farm walks over summer and are training advisors so there will be support.

“There’s research coming, there’s investment in organic education and anything that people said is holding organic farming back has been identified and is being addressed so it’s the time to take the jump from the department point of view.”

Also speaking at the farm walk, the Irish Organic Association’s Mary Lynch explained: “There’s a budget of €256 million. Where a 40ha farm was getting €8,800 last time, once you are organic, you will be going up to €12,000 now plus €1,400 from the participation and we hope that will hold on to the farmers we have.”

Nolan continued: “That’s a great increase to get, it’s a huge opportunity.

“Every time you turn on the radio, it’s all negativity about farming except for organic farming, everybody wants organic farmers you’re the most popular people out there.”