Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The programme for Government has set a target of increasing the amount of utilisable agricultural land area under organic production from its current rate of less than 1% to 5% by 2012. Even though this is a challenging target I believe it is attainable.

My Department offers substantial incentives to promote the growth of the sector. The new organic farming scheme, introduced under the rural development programme for the period from 2007 to 2013, is aimed at encouraging producers to respond to the market demand for organic food. Rates of payment under the scheme are some 17% higher than comparable payments under the previous rural environment protection scheme, REPS 3. One significant change this time around is that we are allowing organic producers to obtain organic support payments without having to join REPS. This should encourage small-scale horticultural producers to convert to organic production, and also conventional tillage producers to convert part or even all of their holdings. As a further incentive to encourage non-REPS farmers solely involved in tillage production to convert to organic farming, there is an additional payment of €240 per hectare available in the in-conversion period, up to a maximum of 40 hectares, provided they grow green cover crops.

As well as payments to farmers, my Department also offers significant development grants both to farmers and to processors under the schemes of grant aid for the development of the organic sector. The current schemes were launched last June and they provide grant aid for investments by farmers and processors in equipment and facilities. The schemes provide grant aid of 40% of the cost up to a maximum grant of €60,000 in the case of on-farm investments and €500,000 for investments off-farm.

I am pleased to note that Teagasc has appointed an additional three specialist organic advisers to strengthen its advisory role. This development, allied to the expanding demonstration farm programme, should further facilitate producers considering the organic option.

Expansion at production level cannot happen in isolation. It needs a market to support it. The most recent initiative in this regard is the three-year organic marketing plan 2006-09, produced by Bord Bia in consultation with the organic market development group. The objective of the plan is to develop the organic sector in Ireland for existing suppliers and new entrants.

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