Ms Grace Maher:

Deputy Martin Kenny asked about the problem of getting people into the sector. As Ms Westbrook outlined, one issue is the support system. With no tranche of the organic farming scheme, OFS, open, farmers simply cannot make the commitment because it is a huge change. The Deputy addressed the issue of husbandry, which Ms Lynch or Mr. Mooney will elaborate on. It is certainly a different system of production and it involves much change, including a change of mindset, for farmers to convert to organic tillage. It is not the same model as the conventional sector because one cannot put all of one's land in. One has to build fertility on some parts of the land while producing crops on the balance. It is quite difficult.