Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1955. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of organic farming scheme participants that exited the scheme in 2019, 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29097/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The table below illustrates the number of organic farming scheme participants that have exited the scheme in each year from 2019 to date:

Participants who joined the Organic Farming Scheme in 2015 and 2016 were initially offered a five-year contract. Following agreement by the European Commission each participant was offered a one-year extension in advance of the expiry of their contract. Of the 1,468 participants offered an extension 1,394 accepted and 73 declined citing various reasons for not continuing to farm organically. In 2021, my Department once again offered these same participants an additional one-year extension and a further 18 declined to extend. A total of 56 participants lapsed their organic licence since 2019 and therefore were no longer eligible to participate in the Organic Farming Scheme. In total, 147 participants have exited the Organic Farming Scheme since 2019.

The supports of €256 million which I have secured in the CAP period 2023 -2027 for conversion to and maintenance of organic farming practices will I believe encourage many farmers to become organic farmers.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1956. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific new measures that are proposed to encourage higher participation in the organic farming scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29098/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The recent Organic Farming Scheme which closed for application in April 2022 resulted in a total of 380 applications. This was 20% higher than during the scheme opening last year. My priority is to continue to grow the organic sector and I have introduced a number of specific new measures to encourage higher participation in Organic Farming

For the period 2023 – 2027, I have proposed an allocation of €256 million under the new CAP Strategic Plan to continue the development and growth of the organic sector. This is a five-fold increase in funding for the sector compared to the previous CAP period.

I have also introduced changes to the Organic Farming Scheme requirements by reducing the required stocking rate and also by increasing the area paid at the higher rate from 60 hectares to 70 hectares, which I believe will allow for greater participation in organic farming practices.

To ensure that all farmers across the country have access to quality advisory support as they consider converting to organic farming, I have recently provided funding to the Agricultural Consultants Association to increase Advisory support in the sector. This will help remove the knowledge gap which is one of the more significant impediments to participation in organic farming practices.

Teagasc are also currently expanding their Advisory support capacity. The expected results of this funding increase with regard to higher participation in Organic Farming will be visible when the scheme reopens later in 2022.

My colleague Minister of State Hackett is also leading a trade mission to Germany in July 2022 to coincide with Biofach, the largest organic trade fair in Europe. Routes to market for organic produce is a key consideration for farmers that are contemplating converting to organic farming and this trade mission is well resourced to ensure all market opportunities are maximised and visible to potential scheme participants.

The Department is pursuing a wide suite of actions and has deployed significant targeted resources to maximise participation in Organic farming. Our commitment to achieve the 7.5% Programme for Government target is gaining in momentum and is evidenced by the most recent figures which yielded a 20% increase in applicants compared to 2021.

We continue to engage proactively with industry stakeholders and explore all opportunities to pursue a solutions based agenda.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1957. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that applied for organic farming scheme in 2022 by farm enterprise type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29099/22]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1958. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of the applicants of the new organic farming scheme in 2022 that are commonage farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29100/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1957 and 1958 together.

I am committed to achieving our target of 7.5% of land cover under organic production as outlined in the current Programme for Government. To assist in achieving this target, I have secured a budget allocation of €21 million for the Organic Farming Scheme for 2022, an increase of €5 million from the previous year.

The Organic Farming Scheme opened for new applications on 9th February 2022 and closed on 22nd April 2022. During this period, 380 applications were received. The table below gives the percentage of farmers that applied for the Organic Farming Scheme in 2022 by enterprise type:

*Comprised of smaller enterprises with goats and horses on the holdings

The eligibility of these applications will be assessed once the Basic Payment Scheme applications are verified, which will determine approval into the Organic Farming Scheme.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1959. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to ringfence 2023 Bord Bia funding for the promotion and marketing of Irish organic farm produce to Irish consumers in the domestic market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29101/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Bord Bia is tasked with the promotion of Irish food and drink both here in Ireland and abroad where it provides a link between Irish producers and their customer base worldwide. They are active in the promotion of organic products both domestically and internationally.

Their strategic priorities for the year are approved by the board of Bord Bia and aligned to my Department's policies and the policy ambitions set out in Food Vision 2030. Furthermore, the actions undertaken by Bord Bia are in line with the relevant actions assigned to them in the National Organic Strategy and as agreed with industry.

The Organic Strategy Forum which includes representation from Bord Bia will be examining the promotion of the Irish organic sector not only from an Irish consumer perspective but also from a pan-European context over the coming months.

I look forward to all proposals with regard to promotion and marketing of organic produce to support the organic sector and to continue its development over the coming years.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1960. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the allocation to and value of monies paid from the organic processing investment grant scheme in each of the years 2015 to 2022 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29102/22]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1961. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants that received funding from the organic processing investment grant scheme in each of the years 2015 to 2022 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29103/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1960 and 1961 together.

I am fully committed to the development of the organic sector in Ireland. In this regard, I will continue to implement the National Organic Strategy 2019-2025 which sets out ambitious growth targets for the sector by aligning it closely with the market opportunities.

One measure included in the development of the sector budget allocation is the Organic Processing Investment Grant Scheme which provides funding to processors who wish to invest in developing facilities for the processing, preparation, grading, packing and storage of organic products.

The table below outlines the number of participants who received funding from the Organic Processing Grant Scheme, the allocation and the expenditure from 2015 to date so far in 2022.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1962. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the payment rate per hectare that will apply to organic farming scheme participants for 2022 and 2023 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29104/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to further developing the organic sector in Ireland as I am convinced of its importance to the farming and food sector.

The current Programme for Government is committed to aligning Ireland’s organic land area with that of the EU average of 7.5%, which is also consistent with the target proposed by Agri-Food Strategy 2030.

All organic policies are designed to achieve this ambitious goal. As such, under the new CAP Strategic Plan in 2023, I have proposed the allocation of €256 million in funding for the Organic Farming Scheme.

Based on this level of funding, it is my intention to introduce enhanced payments to organic farmers to support the maintenance and conversion to Organic Farming. These enhanced payments will apply from the commencement of the new CAP Strategic Plan in 2023 while 2022 Organic Farming Scheme payments will remain at their current level.

The proposed rates set out in the draft CAP Strategic Plan are:

Based on feedback received from the Organic Strategy forum and the CAP Consultative Committee these rates are currently being reviewed. All rates are subject to final approval by the European Commission. Participants currently in the Organic Farming Scheme in 2022 will be able to avail of the higher rates of payment commencing in 2023 subject to their approval by the Commission.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1963. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the allocation to organic farming scheme in the years 2018 to date; the amount expended; the average payment per recipient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29105/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The table below outlines the funding allocated to the Organic Farming Scheme, the amount expended and the average payment by year from 2018 to date. The total expenditure figure in 2022 to date represents payments due in respect of the 2021 scheme year.

The current Programme for Government is committed to aligning Ireland’s organic land area with that of the EU average of 7.5%, which is also consistent with the target proposed by Agri-Food Strategy 2030. My Department, is continuing to progress the actions outlined in the Organic Strategy 2019-2025 to develop the organic sector in Ireland. This sets out ambitious growth targets in line with the market opportunities that exist in the sector.

To assist in achieving these targets I have secured increased budgets for the Organic Farming Scheme for 2021 and 2022. Additionally, under the new CAP Strategic Plan, I have also proposed an indicative allocation of €256 million for the Organic Farming Scheme. This level of funding will facilitate enhanced payments to organic farmers across all sectors, which will further support maintenance and conversion to Organic Farming and assist in achieving our target of 7.5% of land cover under organic production by 2027.