All eligible farmers who have applied for the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) are to be accepted, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett has confirmed.
The scheme intake includes some 2,000 new organic entrants who commenced conversion on 1 January 2023. They are to receive an average payment of €15,500 for their first year in the scheme.
All OFS applicants will receive a formal letter noting their place in the scheme, which delivers area-based and lump sum payments, this week.
The approval into the scheme comes with a five-year organic farming contract commencing from 1 January 2023.
Organic farmers whose contract expired at the end of last year and who reapplied have also been accepted into the scheme.
This brings the total number of farmers farming organically or in conversion in Ireland to about 4,100.
Payments
A spokesperson for the Department confirmed that the average drystock organic farm area in Ireland is 45ha, meaning the average payment to the new farmers in the OFS will be €15,500 in year one.
This is a significant jump in payment, as the average 45ha drystock farmer who joined in 2022 would have received €9,900 in year one.
The average payment for new organic entrants in 2023 will be €15,500. \ Claire Nash
In 2023, drystock farmers with 45ha who are fully organic will receive an average payment of €12,650.
The same fully organic 45ha drystock farmer would have received €7,650 in 2022, an increase of 65%.
Area
The spokesperson noted that although it will only be definite when Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) applications are lodged, it is estimated that there are now over 200,000ha in organics in Ireland.
The Government’s climate action plan 2023 sets a target of having 450,000ha farmed organically by 2030. At an average size of 45ha, this would require approximately 10,000 farmers based on current figures.
“This significant investment by Government in our organic sector with a target of reaching 10% of all land farmed organically by 2030 is hugely ambitious, but we are making real progress already,” Minister Hackett said.
Read more
European organic production up but import dependence remains
Lump sum payments for farmers to go organic
All eligible farmers who have applied for the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) are to be accepted, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett has confirmed.
The scheme intake includes some 2,000 new organic entrants who commenced conversion on 1 January 2023. They are to receive an average payment of €15,500 for their first year in the scheme.
All OFS applicants will receive a formal letter noting their place in the scheme, which delivers area-based and lump sum payments, this week.
The approval into the scheme comes with a five-year organic farming contract commencing from 1 January 2023.
Organic farmers whose contract expired at the end of last year and who reapplied have also been accepted into the scheme.
This brings the total number of farmers farming organically or in conversion in Ireland to about 4,100.
Payments
A spokesperson for the Department confirmed that the average drystock organic farm area in Ireland is 45ha, meaning the average payment to the new farmers in the OFS will be €15,500 in year one.
This is a significant jump in payment, as the average 45ha drystock farmer who joined in 2022 would have received €9,900 in year one.
The average payment for new organic entrants in 2023 will be €15,500. \ Claire Nash
In 2023, drystock farmers with 45ha who are fully organic will receive an average payment of €12,650.
The same fully organic 45ha drystock farmer would have received €7,650 in 2022, an increase of 65%.
Area
The spokesperson noted that although it will only be definite when Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) applications are lodged, it is estimated that there are now over 200,000ha in organics in Ireland.
The Government’s climate action plan 2023 sets a target of having 450,000ha farmed organically by 2030. At an average size of 45ha, this would require approximately 10,000 farmers based on current figures.
“This significant investment by Government in our organic sector with a target of reaching 10% of all land farmed organically by 2030 is hugely ambitious, but we are making real progress already,” Minister Hackett said.
Read more
European organic production up but import dependence remains
Lump sum payments for farmers to go organic
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