Organic producers ‘can compete financially’ with conventional farms

ORGANIC producers can generate incomes comparable with and exceeding those in conventional production systems, a conference was told in Tullamore, Co Offaly yesterday.

Financial analysis by the Teagasc Rural Economy Research Centre showed that family farm income on organic cattle rearing farms is 56% higher than on conventional farms. This was due entirely to lower production costs.

Output and direct payments on the conventional cattle farms were higher, but not sufficiently to cover the additional costs.