Minister for State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Pippa Hackett announced today (Wednesday, February 7) that 1,050 additional farmers will participate in the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) this year.
Ireland’s Climate Action Plan has a target of 10% of land area farmed organically by 2030.
This latest tranche of the OFS means the land area farmed organically will now be approximately 225,000ha (5%) with over 5,000 farmers involved, according to DAFM.
“These are really significant milestones, and they show that the organic sector in Ireland is continues to grow at a significant pace,” Minister Hackett said.
Organic Farming Scheme
“Many farmers in Ireland are at stocking rates where they can easily replace expensive chemical fertiliser and imported concentrates with multispecies grass and red clover.
“It takes a high level of skill and understanding of how healthy soil works to trust yourself to farm organically, and Irish farmers are well able for this challenge,” the minister added.
She said that Teagasc will begin research this year which will set out blueprints for organic beef and lamb production.
Last September, 1,200 farmers applied for the OFS. Of these, 130 are ineligible to participate.
A total of 20 were previously in the OFS and their contracts have expired, and 1,050 are new organic farmers.
Organic farmers must attend a 25-hour training course in their first year farming organically, submit a Basic Income for Sustainability Scheme (BISS) application form annually, and comply with organic standards.
“Although input prices have fallen, farmers have experienced serious price inflation and bad weather for the last number of years.
“For those who have not yet made the change, I would urge them to attend one of the many organic farm walks that will take place later this year and see for themselves on the ground how an organic farm works,” Minister Hackett said.