Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to develop the organic food production sector here, which currently lags behind all our EU counterparts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37233/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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While the organic sector in Ireland is small by European standards, it is growing. The total area in conversion or with full organic status rose by nearly 5,000 hectares to over 35,000 hectares in 2005, an increase of some 15% on 2004. That figure has increased by a further 1,500 hectares so far this year.

My Department already provides substantial financial supports for organic producers, through the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and the Scheme of Grant Aid for the development of the organic sector. Since REPS began in 1994, it has delivered some €37 million to the sector. The new Rural Development Programme for the period 2007-2013 will build on the success of REPS by including measures designed particularly to encourage development in the organic tillage and horticulture areas. It is proposed, for example, to allow organic farmers to obtain organic support payments without having to be in the REP Scheme.

Lack of technical expertise has been recognised as a barrier to progress in both the organic tillage and horticultural areas. To address this information deficit, my Department, in conjunction with Teagasc, arranged this year to bring in two specialist agronomists, on a pilot basis, from the UK. Through farm visits and workshops, they shared their experiences with producers and this has been of immense value.

Another successful initiative has been the demonstration farm programme. It continued during 2006 and a total of 13 farms were used throughout the country to promote organic farming systems. My Department will continue to expand and improve this programme which is a major instrument in encouraging conventional growers to switch to organic.

Substantial progress has also been made on the implementation of the recommendations in the Organic Development Committee report, published in 2002. The three additional structures recommended are now into their second three-year terms. The National Steering Group advises me on all policy issues relating to the sector. 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 development 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, produced by Bord Bia in consultation with the Organic Market Development Group. The objective of the plan, for which my Department has allocated funding, is to develop the organic sector in Ireland for existing suppliers and new entrants.