Written answers

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Agriculture Industry

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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394. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25481/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is examining this correspondence and a reply will issue shortly.

On the issue raised in relation to legislation for dairy producer organisations, the existing legislation, S.I. No. 49 of 2016, is currently being examined with a view to extending similar provisions to additional agricultural sectors including the dairy sector. It is anticipated that this process will be finalised in the coming months.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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395. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that the statutory instrument facilitating the establishment of producers' groups excluded provisions for the establishment of dairy producer groups; his plans to make provision for such groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25482/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The existing legislation, S.I. No. 49 of 2016, is currently being examined with a view to extending similar provisions to additional agricultural sectors including the dairy sector. It is anticipated that this process will be finalised in the coming months.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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396. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking to promote the uptake of organic production within the dairy sector; if his Department has completed an assessment of the impact this could have on dairy emissions; if a similar assessment has been performed in the beef sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25483/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will continue to engage with the dairy sector dairy to advance market opportunities with regard to organic dairy production.

I have ensured priority access for organic dairy farmers in the current Organic Farming Scheme. I have also included an attractive financial incentive in the Organic Farming Scheme under the next CAP in the draft proposals. An additional support for this sector is the Organic Capital Investment Scheme which is open to licensed organic operators including dairy farmers. This I believe will encourage many farmers to consider the benefits of converting to organic dairy production

In the CAP Strategic Plan, it is highlighted that for every 100,000 ha converting to organic production there is a reduction on GHG emissions of 0.1MTonnes as a consequence of chemical fertilisers not being used. This is an average reduction taking account of all farm types and is not specific to the organic dairy sector.

However, the reduction in GHG is higher for dairy farms as average fertiliser use is higher for this cohort compared to, say, extensive drystock farms.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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397. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the organic strategy meeting on the dairy sector held in 2020; the follow-up and subsequent meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25484/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The 2020 organic strategy meetings focused on implementation of agreed strategy actions contained in the Strategy for the Development of the Organic Sector rather than specifically focusing on the dairy sector.

However, actions which related in particular to the dairy sector were under constant review including the establishment of dairy knowledge transfer groups facilitated by Teagasc.

I established the Organic Strategy forum earlier this year and the first meeting of the group was held in-person on 19th April 2022. I ensured that this forum incorporates a wide cross-section of the Organic sector including stakeholders from the dairy sector.

In spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Teagasc continued with meetings of Organic Dairy Discussion Group and a number of technical seminars were conducted with the aim of improving producer knowledge in the sector. Teagasc is also developing a blueprint for organic milk production which will be discussed and reported on in the Organic Strategy Forum in the coming months.

Progress reports of the Organic Strategy Forum are posted on my Departments website to ensure that any actions and agreed objectives are accessible to interested parties.

The Department will continue to engage with dairy co-operatives to advance market opportunities for the sector while also monitoring trends and developments in global organic dairy production. I have included an attractive financial incentive in the Organic Farming Scheme under the next CAP in the draft proposals. An additional support for this sector is the Organic Capital Investment Scheme which is open to licensed organic operators including dairy farmers. This, I believe, will encourage many farmers to consider the benefits of converting to organic dairy production.

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