Organic Farming Scheme opens to new applicants this week
Drystock farmers entering into a contract could qualify for yearly payments of up to €300 per hectare during the conversion period and up to €250 per hectare when they have achieved full organic status.
The Organic Farming Scheme will be open to new applicants from Friday, November 3.
The scheme is an agri-environment measure under the Department of Agriculture's CAP Strategic Plan.
Drystock farmers entering into a contract could qualify for yearly payments of up to €300 per hectare during the conversion period and up to €250 per hectare when they have achieved full organic status.
Higher payment rates are available for organic horticultural and tillage farmers.
In addition, an annual participation payment of €2,000 in the first year of conversion and €1,400 per annum thereafter has been introduced to support organic farmers.
A total budget of €256m has been allocated to the scheme over the lifetime of the new CAP Strategic Plan.
The last opening of the scheme saw unprecedented demand for entry, with over 2,000 farmers applying.
Minister of State Pippa Hackett said that she anticipates the "huge interest among farmers" to be reflected again in applications to the scheme.
"In the last year alone, the number of organic farms has doubled and there has been significant investment made in market development," Ms Hackett said.
"The momentum of the organic sector is now very strongly underpinned by Government policy and supported by state agencies including Teagasc and Bord Bia, as well as the private advisory services in ACA and the organic certification bodies."
The Climate Action Plan sets out a target to reach 10% of land farmed organically by 2030.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that the Organic Farming Scheme "represents a very attractive opportunity for farmers".
"This support is coming via not only very attractive scheme payments, but also through funding for promotion to drive increased consumer sales volumes," he added.
"This will also be important in helping drive our ambition to increase the area of land under organic farming."
