On Monday November 29th the Agricultural Science Association will host a webinar on the Irish Organic Market at 7pm. Speakers include some key organic processors operating in the organic sector. For more information and to register CLICK HERE

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has launched a 4-week public consultation on Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. This is the final public consultation on the overall Plan and the draft schemes and supports before its official submission to the European Commission. The consultation also includes a review of the Plan’s draft Strategic Environmental Assessment, which aims to ensure its environmental effectiveness. The Irish Organic Association is actively involved in the Government’s CAP Consultative Committee and will continue to put forward our farmer members’ views. It is essential that organic farmers also engage in the CAP consultation to ensure organic food and farming is prioritised in the new policy.

Submissions marked ‘draft CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027’ should be made by http://thewoodlandretreat.com/hire 4pm Wednesday 8th December 2021 to CAPStrategicPlan@agriculture.gov.ie. Alternatively, a written submission can be sent by post to CAP Rural Development Division, Agriculture House, Kildare Street, D02 WK12.

The Teagasc Organic Specialists are hosting a series of Autumn organic webinars covering various technical aspects of organic farming. The third webinar in the series takes place on Bello Wednesday, 24 November at 7:30pm and focuses on buy me a boat lyrics Are you considering converting to Organic Farming?.

In this webinar Teagasc will have two farmers that recently started to farm organically speaking on why they decided to convert to organic farming, the changes they have made to their farming systems and their farm plans for the future.

To register CLICK HERE 

The Irish Government has published the Climate Action Plan 2021, which sets out pathways for Ireland to reduce emissions by 51% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. The Plan includes challenging targets for the agriculture sector to reduce emissions by 22-30% by the end of the decade, with organic farming identified as part of the solution.

Gillian Westbrook, Irish Organic Association CEO, said “With growing awareness of the urgency for Ireland and its European partners to take decisive action to address climate change, the Irish Organic Association welcomes the publication of the new Climate Action Plan and recognition of the positive role that organic farming can play in the fight against climate change”. The Irish public has also been clear for some time of the value of organic farming for climate action as demonstrated in the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change”.

She added, “The organic sector has the potential to increase its climate performance in combination with other land and farm management measures and there is a growing demand for organic produce both at home and abroad. The Irish Organic Association looks forward to learning more about how Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Irish food industry plan to invest over the next decade in the further development of a dynamic, innovative and market-orientated organic sector that works for farmers and society”.

The Teagasc Organic Demonstration Farm walk series begin again on November 3rd. The walk takes place on the Whitty farm which is an organic dairy farm located near New Ross in Co. Wexford. Start time is 11am and you must register to attend the event.

CLICK HERE to register