Total of €1.1 million in funding announced for organic farmers

TWELVE proposals to promote organic production have been selected and awarded funding of €1.1 million.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett stated: “Earlier this year I announced a call for projects to promote organic production in Ireland, in line with the European Organic Action Plan.

“I want to thank all the applicants for the quality of the wide and varied proposals that were received by my Department. The projects selected cover a very broad area, from living mulches to advisory support for organic farmers to the potential for organic butter, and everything in between.

“This call will further support the Programme for Government target of 10% of all land farmed organically by 2030. The call, the first of its kind for the organic sector, encouraged innovative proposals, and the successful applicants will now be engaging in a range of activities to highlight the benefits of organic production in Ireland.”

Minister Hackett added: “I wish all participants well, and I look forward to the successful application of their projects in a way that will encourage further engagement in, and development of, the organics sector in Ireland. This is a further important element in the support structure for the sector that is being put in place. I look forward to seeing the results and impacts of these projects over the next year.”

Ireland’s Programme for Government has set a target of more than tripling the organic land area by 2027 to approximately 336,000 hectares. This target has been incorporated into Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, Food Vision 2030 and our Climate Action Plan has a target of 10% by 2030.

The aim is to reach this target by supporting farmers to convert to organic farming through the Organic Farming Scheme, enhanced advisory support and increased promotion as well as developing market demand.