Dáil debates
Wednesday, 4 May 2005
Organic Farming.
2:30 pm
John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Substantial progress has been made on the implementation of the recommendations in the organic development committee report. All three additional structures recommended have been established. A national steering group was set up to act as a driving force for the development of the organic sector and as a basis for advancing partnership between the organic sector and the other principal essential interests. It has met nine times. The steering group is supported by two sub-groups, the partnership expert working group and the organic market development group. The partnership expert working group is responsible for training, education, advice and research. The organic market development group has overall responsibility for developing a national marketing strategy for organic food.
The main incentive to organic conversion for farmers is the rural environment protection scheme under which they get substantial payments. Almost €4 million was paid under the scheme directly to organic farmers in 2004. Since REPS began in 1994, it has delivered €31 million to the sector. Under the current scheme, an organic farmer with 55 hectares is eligible for an annual payment in REPS 3 of €18,505 a year for the first two years, and €13,555 each year for the rest of his or her time in the scheme. As a further incentive to encourage conventional farmers to venture into organic production, REPS now allows them to convert part of the farm instead of the entire holding as previously.
Teagasc offers five training modules in organic farming. Courses are planned at Kildalton, Athy, Bandon and Athenry. Courses will be provided at other centres when there is a demand. Other organisations are also making a notable contribution with financial support from my Department. The demonstration farm project was highly successful in 2004 and the number of farms has risen to 12 in 2005.
The following table outlines the land area under organic production in all EU member states from 1989 to 2003.
| Member State | 1989 (hectares) | 1994 (hectares) | 1999 (hectares) | 2003 (hectares) |
| Austria | 2,100 | 192,337 | 272,635 | 328,803 |
| Belgium | 1,200 | 2,683 | 18,515 | 24,000 |
| Cyprus | 0 | 0 | 30 | 170 |
| Czech Republic | 260 | 15,818 | 110,756 | 254,995 |
| Denmark | 8,283 | 20,688 | 136,629 | 165,146 |
| Estonia | 0 | 1,600 | 4,000 | 40,890 |
| Finland | 2,300 | 25,822 | 136,622 | 159,987 |
| France | 65,000 | 94,806 | 315,771 | 550,000 |
| Germany | 54,295 | 272,139 | 452,327 | 734,027 |
| Greece | 100 | 1,188 | 21,451 | 244,455 |
| Hungary | 0 | 8,630 | 32,609 | 113,816 |
| Ireland | 3,700 | 5,390 | 29,360 | 28,514 |
| Italy | 11,000 | 154,120 | 911,068 | 1,052,002 |
| Latvia | 0 | 1,250 | 3,000 | 21,480 |
| Lithuania | 0 | 267 | 6,746 | 23,289 |
| Luxembourg | 550 | 538 | 888 | 3,002 |
| Malta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 6,544 | 11,340 | 26,350 | 41,865 |
| Poland | 300 | 5,000 | 11,000 | 49,928 |
| Portugal | 550 | 7,267 | 47,974 | 120,729 |
| Slovakia | 0 | 14,762 | 46,386 | 50,000 |
| Slovenia | 0 | 150 | 2,400 | 21,017 |
| Spain | 3,300 | 17,208 | 352,164 | 725,254 |
| Sweden | 23,600 | 48,039 | 155,463 | 225,776 |
| United Kingdom | 18,500 | 32,476 | 390,868 | 695,619 |
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