More farmers going organic in Ireland

The organic farming scheme proposed by the Irish government has seen a major surge in applications with the vast majority of applicants converting to organic farming for the first time. Some 870 applications were received by the Department of Agriculture before the scheme closed at the end of May reports the Irish Times (http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/surge-in-number-of-farmers-going-organic-1.2251538)

Tom Hayes, Minister of State with responsibility for organic farming said that this level of interest was unprecedented. In the other years since the introduction of the organic farming scheme in 2007, the maximum number of applications received in a year was 380 (in 2010). The increased interest is partly explained by several improvements to the scheme which include increased rates of payment and measures aimed at encouraging horticultural and tillage farmers to go organic. Mr Hayes said this was “a landmark day for the organic farming sector” and it augured well for the future of organic production in Ireland.