Any new money for organic farming should be made available to specific farming sectors to help fulfil consumer demand, a leading figure in Irish organics has said.

Gillian Westbrook, CEO of the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA), said new funding should be targeted at specific sectors rather than allowing all farmers in.

Last month, the Irish Farmers Journal revealed that the Department of Agriculture is ruling out the opening of the Organic Farming Scheme. However, with increasing consumer demand for organic produce and more EU countries adopting more of an organic-focused agricultural policy, there are renewed calls to allow more Irish farmers to convert to organic.

“I actually agree with them (the Government) not to open up the scheme at this late stage of the year, otherwise we will have too much of certain products that will reduce farm-gate prices for existing organic producers. We must use any money that might become available to target support in areas that are in deficit,” Westbrook told the Irish Farmers Journal this week.

“There is a real shortage of organic farmers in the tillage, grain, horticulture and dairy sectors and a growing demand from the consumer for organic produce in Ireland and abroad.

“Should there be a new organic scheme, it must be targeted and criteria based. It makes no sense to open it up now and allow anyone to join if there is no current market for certain products. It makes no sense to allow farmers in and then we have difficulties selling produce into an oversupplied market. Ideally, each year a new organic scheme should open that is market driven, which helps to maintain the premium for the farmer and reflects market demands, ” Westbrook said.

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