New strategy for organics to be developed
Minister of State Pippa Hackett said it was important now 'that we maintain momentum and coordinate all links in the supply chain from farmer to retailer' into the new strategy.
A new five-year national strategy for organics is to be developed.
The current National Organic Strategy was developed in 2019 and runs to 2025 and the new strategy will plan the development for the sector to 2030.
It will "reflect recent growth, focus on market development, current challenges, and future potential".
Minister of State Pippa Hackett said the Government had "already demonstrated that we’ve the highest level of ambition for the Irish organic sector".
"We’ve put in place the biggest supports for organic farming in Ireland with a five-fold increase in the Organic Farming Scheme budget," Ms Hackett said.
"This growth will continue as we open the scheme again to new entrants," she added.
Ms Hackett said it was important now "that we maintain momentum and coordinate all links in the supply chain from farmer to retailer" into the new strategy to "further drive the development of the sector".
The Organic Forum, chaired by Padraig Brennan, has been tasked with developing the new strategy and presenting it to Government in quarter one of 2024.
Mr Brennan said that with significant growth anticipated in Irish organic supplies, "it is timely to review the organic sector strategy to ensure the right supports are in place to optimise the value of the Irish organic food sector in the period to 2030".
The Dáil was suspended this week over organic farming comments made during a debate on the EU Nature Restoration Law.
Minister of State Pippa Hackett was telling the Dáil on Wednesday evening that restoring nature is something "many Irish farmers are already doing".
"Many farmers I know are passionate about the nature on their farms. They are the custodians of their lands and many of them are embracing and engaging in agri-environmental schemes, including deputy Michael Collins who is an organic farmer," she said.
Mr Collins, an independent TD for Cork South-West, responded: "On a point of clarification, the Minister of State used my name inside in the Dáil on private information she must have got only from her husband. I am not an organic farmer."
He asked her to "correct the record of the Dáil".
In a Dáil debate in February 2022 on farm costs, Mr Collins told Ms Hackett that "I am proud to be organic but the Minister of State is letting down my neighbouring farmers who cannot afford the fertiliser".
