The Organic Farming Scheme opened to new applications on Wednesday 9 February and will remain open for a two-month window closing on 8 April 2022.

There are two significant changes to the scheme in 2022 with a higher area eligible for payment and a reduction in the stocking density required to receive full payment.

The area receiving a higher level of payment is being increased from 60ha to 70ha.

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This will increase payments for large enterprises by €1,600 during the two-year conversion phase and by €1,400 once it is deemed they have full organic status.

There is a higher level of payment for horticulture and tillage participants and this ties in with the Department’s aim of growing the number of dairy, horticulture and tillage participants.

Horticulture participants will receive €300/ha during conversion and €200/ha when in full organic status on the first six hectares of land.

Payment between 6ha and 70ha is at a rate of €220/ha and €170/ha, while payment above 70ha is at €60/ha and €30/ha.

For tillage producers, the payment is €300/ha and €200/ha for conversion and full organic status, respectively, up to 20ha.

This reduces to €220/ha and €170/ha between 20ha and 70ha and is €60/ha and €30/ha above 70ha.

For all other producers, the payment is €220/ha from 3ha to 70ha in the two-year conversion phase and €170/ha in full organic status. This reduces to €60/ha and €30/ha above 70ha.

The other major change influencing payment rates is a new lower stocking rate requirement of 0.15LU/ha which will open the door to almost 1m hectares of land potentially receiving the higher rate of payment.