Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and I will desist from wishing Professor Boyle bon voyageagain. As this is the third time we have met since I first did so, I will desist today. I have some broad-ranging questions on which both groups might comment.I also have some specific questions for Bord Bia and Teagasc. Broadly speaking, we had a discussion last week with the organic organisations and the farm organisations. When one reads their submissions and, indeed, the submissions of witnesses today, the increase in consumer demand is very encouraging. Yet, we are not getting a like-for-like increase in the uptake of organics from our farming community. I ask the witnesses to explain why they think that is. I refer to a scenario in which we were to get up to speed on our predictions and targets by getting to a 7.5% rate of organic farming, which is the current European average and is our target. I assume that by the time we get there, that target will have moved out. I would like us to get somewhere closer to the low or high 20s, like some of our European colleagues. Were we to achieve that, in the witnesses’ respective opinion would we have the markets for the associated production that would deliver? If not, where and how can we source those markets?

With regard to the current markets, did Brexit have an equal effect on organic output and sales or did it hit organics harder in anyway? In that regard, are there replacement markets? Are there imports that we could replace easily here and produce locally? With that in mind, I have a question. I do not need a scientific answer but in the opinion of the witnesses, when does an organic product cease being organic if we are to take into consideration the carbon footprint of its transportation?

For Teagasc specifically, I note we have received the documentation on education. I am familiar with its input into the education of farmers and would-be organic farmers. What is Teagasc's opinion on the education of the consumers? Is there a gap there? Is there a greater role for that agency or for other organisations when it comes to educating our consumers and enhancing our markets? I refer to a recent article in the Irish Farmers' Journal in which it was stated that there was underfunding within Teagasc for organic research, in comparison with other areas. The witnesses from Teagasc might comment on that.

Turning to Bord Bia, what is the position in respect of market expansion? As I say, if we achieved our target of 7.5% or more of land in organics, would we still have markets for that volume of product?