Increase of 16,000 hectares in organic farming

One processor is now slaughtering about 9,000 organic cattle per year

A new Organic Farming Scheme with funding of €256m will open for applications in early October.

The land farmed organically across Ireland is expected to increase by 16,000 hectares.

At the National Ploughing Championships this week it was announced that 336 new applicants had been accepted into the Organic Farming Scheme, having applied earlier this year, which will result in the additional land dedicated to organics.