Written answers

Tuesday, 9 May 2006

Department of Agriculture and Food

Organic Farming

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the efforts currently being taken in her Department to promote organic production amongst farmers; if additional financial supports and incentives will be made available to farmers transitioning to organic production; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17005/06]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am strongly committed to the development of the organic sector in Ireland. My Department already provides a number of significant incentives to encourage organic farming, which are substantial in proportion to the size of the sector. Through the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, almost €5.9 million was paid directly to organic farmers in 2005. Since REPS began in 1994, it has delivered almost €39 million to the sector. Under the current Scheme, an organic farmer with 55 hectares is eligible for an annual payment of €18,505 a year for the first two years while the farm is in conversion and €13,555 each year for the rest of his or her time in the Scheme. Proposals to further enhance the organic supplementary measure in REPS are being considered in the context of the development of REPS 4, which will be introduced in 2007 as a measure under the Rural Development Plan for the period up to 2013. My officials met representatives of the organic farming organisations to discuss how support for the sector might be enhanced under the new Rural Development Plan.

As well as REPS, my Department also offers substantial financial support through the Scheme of Grant Aid for the Development of the Organic Sector which supports investment both on-farm and off-farm. I have provided €1.2 million this year for the Scheme and I intend to ensure that grant aid will continue to be available to support modernisation and innovation in this important sector. For on-farm investments, grant aid can be given for 40% of the cost up to a maximum grant of over €50,000. For off-farm investments, the maximum grant is over €500,000.

In addition, my Department has implemented all the main recommendations of the Organic Development Committee's report published in April 2002. The demonstration farm project, for example, has been a considerable success to date and this year has 14 farms participating in the project. These farms provide a very useful means of disseminating information and data to existing and potential organic operators. Valuable financial and practical production data can also be collected, as the farms participate in the Teagasc National Farm Survey and the Teagasc Monitor Farm Network.

My Department has also arranged for specialist agronomists from the UK to visit some of these demonstration farms in conjunction with Teagasc personnel. I expect that the expertise provided by these specialists will provide the necessary technical advice to help existing organic farmers enhance their operations, while also encouraging those in the conventional sector to opt for the organic option.

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