Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

27. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work that he is undertaking to support the growth of the organic farming sector in Ireland. [38544/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am fully committed to development and growth of the organic sector and I believe under the new CAP there is a significant opportunity to do so.

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

All our organic policies are designed with this in mind. In 2022, I secured a budget of €21 million which represents a €5 million increase in allocation from 2021. The additional funding provides for an extra 50,000 hectares converting to organic production in 2022. I have also reduced the required stocking rate and increased the cap on the higher rate of payment from 60 hectares to 70 hectares.

Furthermore under the new CAP, I have proposed the allocation of €265 million in funding - this is a five-fold increase for the budget for organics. Based on this level of funding, it is my intention to implement enhanced payments to organic farmers to support the maintenance and conversion to Organic Farming. I believe these changes will attract strong numbers of new entrants to the organic farming sector.

Minister of State Pippa Hackett has reconvened the Organic Strategy Forum which has met three times so far in 2022. Currently, the forum is developing a road-map of activities in advance of the scheme reopening in late 2022 to promote the pathways to organic farming.

Minister of State Hackett is also undertaking a trade mission to Germany in July 2022 to coincide with Biofach, the largest organic trade fair in Europe. This will enable organic client companies to build new business and generate new leads and ensure that all efforts are undertaken to expand the export market for Irish Organic produce.

To ensure farmers have the help and support to transition to organic farming, my Department has provided funding to the Agricultural Consultants Association to increase advisory support in the sector and Teagasc are committed to continuing their support of organic farming through their advisory service.

I believe that these measures are having a positive effect as we saw a 20% increase in applications to join the Organic Farming Scheme in 2022 in comparison to 2021, bringing in an expected additional 17,000ha of land giving an overall increase of 35% of land being farmed organically over the last two years. I intend that this will be the first of many increases in the volume of land farmed organically in Ireland.