Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1498. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have received funding under the organics scheme in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the estimated number of farmers who will receive funding under the scheme in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32496/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The following table outlines the number of farmers who have received funding under the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) in each of the scheme years 2016 to 2019.

OFS payments in respect of 2020 are currently being processed in respect of approximately 1,500 participants.

Based on the budget allocation for 2021 and subject to Commission approval, my Department will be in a position to offer a one year extension to those participants whose contracts expire on 31 December 2020. An additional €4 million has also been allocated to opening a new Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) in 2021. The number of farmers who will receive an OFS payment in 2021 will therefore depend on the level of applications received and accepted into the new OFS Scheme.