Irish Organic Association

IOA

  • Home
  • About
    • Why Choose IOA
    • Join IOA
    • IOA Organic Food and Farming Standards
    • Steps to Organic Certification (Farming)
    • Steps to Organic Certification (Processor)
  • News
  • Research & Reports
    • Organic Market & Production
    • Research & Innovation Projects
    • Organic Farming & Public Goods
  • Contact Us
  • Farming
    • Organic Farming Scheme and Grant Aid Scheme
    • Why Choose IOA
    • Join IOA
    • Steps to Organic Certification (Farming)
    • Application Forms (Farmer)
    • Farmer Forms
    • IOA Organic Food and Farming Standards
    • Mart Information
    • Classified Ads
    • Education
    • Field Talks
  • Processing
    • Why Choose IOA
    • Join IOA
    • Steps to Organic Certification (Processor)
    • IOA Organic Food and Farming Standards
    • Application Forms (Processor & Retailer)
    • Processor Forms
    • Organic Aquaculture
    • Organic Health and Beauty- Private Standards
    • Organic Catering- Private Standards
    • Certified Products- Private Standards
    • DAFM Funding
  • IOA Members
    • Directory of Certified Organic Operators
    • Application Forms (Farmer)
    • Application Forms (Processor & Retailer)
    • Farmer Forms
    • Processor Forms
  • Certification
    • Farmers and Growers
    • Processors and Retailers
    • Organic Health & Beauty – Private Standards
    • Organic Catering – Private Standards
    • Certified Products – Private Standards
    • IOA Organic Food and Farming Standards
  • Organic Matters Magazine
  • Forms
    • Farmer Forms
    • Processor Forms
    • Application Forms (Farmer)
    • Application Forms (Processor & Retailer)
  • EIP
    • MOPS Videos
  • Find Organic produce
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
  • News
  • Research & Reports
  • Contact Us

Tillage farmers consider the organic option

2 September 2013 By IOA Webmaster

Gillian Westbrook from IOA discusses potential options for tillage farmers who are considering converting to organics.

Read the full atricle by Catriona Murphy from the Farming Independent.

Tillage farmers consider the organic option

 

Tillage farmers are examining the option of meeting greening requirements in the new CAP regime by converting some of their land to organic cereal production.

 

Organic farming association IOA has reported an increase in enquiries from conventional tillage growers about converting to organic cereals.

 

“We’ve had 20 farmers over 50ha in size contact us in the past three months,” remarked Gillian Westbrook, manager of IOFGA.

 

“While the lower conventional grain price would have to be having some input into the decision, their main interest seems to be compliance with CAP greening.”

 

Ms Westbrook said she believed tillage was the area of organic production with the most growth potential.

 

DEMAND

 

“There is a very obvious and established market for organic cereals, with demand for organic oats for porridge and growing demand for feed for organic beef, sheep and dairy,” she maintained.

 

The Department of Agriculture Action Plan launched recently identified a shortage of organic cereals as a major obstacle in the way of organic livestock expansion.

 

John Flahavan of Flahavan’s said he expected organic oat crops to yield 1.2t/ac this year, with prices around €350-360/t.

 

Flahavan’s has an annual requirement of 6,000t of organic oats for its porridge brands, with some 75pc of this coming from Ireland and the remainder imported.

 

“Our aim is to become 100pc self-sufficient in Irish oats,” he said.

 

However, he added that there were opportunities to grow other organic cereals as well as oats.

 

“When you look at the price farmers are paying for imported organic compound feeds, there has to be room to replace some of that with Irish cereals,” he insisted.

 

Irish Independent

Filed Under: General

About IOFGA

©IOA (Irish Organic Association ) is Ireland’s leading organic certification body dedicated to certifying organic produce and products throughout Ireland.

  • Why Choose IOA
  • Join IOA
  • IOA Organic Food and Farming Standards
  • Steps to Organic Certification (Farming)
  • Steps to Organic Certification (Processor)

Address

Irish Organic Association
Unit 13 Inish Carraig
Golden Island
Athlone
Co. Westmeath
Ireland.
N37 N1W4

Contact

Tel: (+353) 090 643 3680
Fax: (+353) 090 644 9005
Email: info@irishoa.ie

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Office hours

Open
Mon – Fri
9am – 5pm.

Closed 1 – 2pm

POLICIES

Data Protection Policy
Privacy Policy

LATEST TWEET

Species-rich grassland took centre stage in last night's episode of #WildIsles

This important habitat supports a rich variety of native plants & provides food and shelter for pollinators and many other creatures.

Dr Maria Long (@murlong77) tells us more
https://bit.ly/3JUTkPU

Copyright © 2023 IOA : Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association CLG trading as the Irish Organic Association