Additional 12,000 hectares of Irish farmland under organic management
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.
Ireland's land area farmed organically has increased by 35% in the past two years.
Welcoming the news, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, explained that in 2021, an additional 12,000 hectares were farmed organically — a figure expected to increase by a further 17,000 hectares, taking into consideration those who applied to join the Organic Farming Scheme this year.
The increase in organic production has gone from 74,000 hectares to about 110,000 ha.
This represents about 13% of the expansion from 74,000 hectares to 335,000 ha (7.5% of Ireland's farmland) targeted in the Climate Action Plan launched last November, and in the current Programme for Government. Achieving this target is predicted to contribute about 5% of the Climate Action Plan emissions reduction for agriculture.
The new Organic Farming Scheme which closed for applications in April 2022 resulted in 380 new applications, bringing to just under 700 new farmers joining the scheme in the last 12 months.
The 380 applications are currently being processed for eligibility based on their Basic Payment Scheme applications. Approval letters will issue later this year to successful applicants, who will join 1,734 organic farmers already participating in the Organic Farming Scheme, earning annual payments totalling about €11 million.
The Organic Farming Scheme is the primary support measure to assist farmers in converting from conventional farming.
It will open again for applications in October.
About 94,000 hectares are currently under organic production.
Measures added to the Organic Farming Scheme this year were designed to encourage higher participation.
The required stocking rate was reduced, and the area per farm qualifying for a higher payment was increased from 60 hectares to 70 hectares.
Payment rates will increase in 2023, as proposed in the CAP Strategic Plan submitted to the EU Commission, with a total of €256 million from 2023 to 2027 proposed in funding for the Organic Farming Scheme. This represents a five-fold increase from the previous CAP period.
The enhanced payments from the commencement of the new CAP in 2023 will offer farmers in conversion €600 per hectare in horticulture, €330 in dairy, €290 in tillage, and €250 in drystock. The maintenance rates will be €400 in horticulture, €250 in dairy, €170 in tillage, and €170 in drystock.
These proposed rates are subject to approval at EU level, and are also being reviewed at national level, in line with feedback received from the Organic Strategy Forum and the CAP Consultative Committee.
The 2022 funding allocation for the Organic Farming Scheme, at €21m, is double the 2018 funding of €10.5m. However, the average payment per participant has fallen from €7,172 in 2018 to €5,278 (payments due in respect of the 2021 scheme year). The falling payment is due to the number of farmers previously on the higher in-conversion rate for the first two years of their five-year contracts, who have now moved to the maintenance rate for the remainder of the contract.
Meanwhile, interest remains concentrated in the cattle and sheep sectors, from which respectively 40% and 32% of the 380 most recent applications came.
"Mixed livestock" accounted for 7.5% of the participants, tillage 4%, horticulture 6%, dairy 2.5%, and the rest came from smaller enterprises with goats and horses on the holdings.
Participants who joined the Organic Farming Scheme in 2015 and 2016 were initially offered a five-year contract. 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, while 73 declined, citing various reasons for not continuing to farm organically.
In 2021, the Department again offered these same participants an additional one-year extension, with only a further 18 declining to extend.
However, 56 participants lapsed their organic licences 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.
However, the momentum towards organic is likely to speed up as new Government measures kick into action.
As well as increased support payments in the organic farming scheme, the draft CAP Strategic Plan for 2023 to 2027 includes priority access to the new agri-environmental scheme, and an increase in the TAMS grant rate, for organic farmers.
There will be increased advisory support from Teagasc and the Agricultural Consultants Association, to ensure that all farmers across the country have access to quality advisory support as they consider converting to organic farming and the launch of a new MSc in Biological and Organic Farming at the South East Technological University in Waterford.
"This will help remove the knowledge gap which is one of the more significant impediments to participation in organic farming practices," said Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.
The government has also pledged to ensure sufficient funding for the Organic Processing Investment Grant Scheme. This helps processors who wish to invest in facilities for preparation, grading, packing and storage of organic products.
However, it has been under-subscribed in recent years, with only €1.3m taken up of allocated funding of €7.7m since 2015.
There are five organic demonstration farmers participating in the Signpost Programme, supported by Teagasc Organic Specialists and FutureBeef Programme Advisers.
Organic demonstration farm walks are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 13 (2pm) on the Corrigeen Organic Farm of Declan Houlihan, which produces cereals and poultry/eggs at Rathcabin, Birr, Co Offaly, and on Tuesday, July 19 (2pm) on Spring Cottage Organic Farm run by Rose O'Sullivan and Martin Fox, at Parke, Kinnegad, Co Westmeath.
This farm specialises in fieldscale vegetables, protected cropping, cereals, poultry (eggs), and direct selling.
Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has encouraged farmers considering conversion to attend an organic farm walk knowledge-sharing event.
Minister of State Hackett said: “There are more than 100,000 Irish farmers with stocking rates less than 170kg N/ha, farming four million hectares. I would strongly encourage these farmers to consider joining the organic farming scheme this autumn.
"Consumer demand is growing, payment rates have been increased, and organic farmers will receive priority access to the new agri-environmental scheme, so there has never been a better time to consider [organic farming].
"In this time of rising input costs, I would urge all farmers to look at the bottom line on their own farms, add up the numerous benefits of organic farming, and consider joining the growing number of farmers making the switch."
