Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has issued a call for proposals to promote and develop the organic sector.
Minister Heydon said: “I am announcing €3 million in funding over the next three years for innovative projects to promote and develop the organic sector. Organic farming has grown significantly in the last few years, and I am committed to supporting its further development, in order to meet our targets in the CAP Strategic Plan and increase returns to producers. Attracting the next generation of farmers is crucial to securing the future of Irish agriculture and organics can be a real, viable option for younger farmers. This call is an opportunity to support those already in the sector and to help attract more in the future.”
The call for the period 2025-2027 is open until March 7th, and applications can be made to the organic policy unit within the Department. The purpose of the call is to support delivery of the vision of the National Organic Strategy which aims to “grow a highly productive organic food sector that secures a viable future for farmers while supporting the health of the natural environment and consumers.”
Minister Heydon concluded: “My focus is on ensuring that organic farmers, fishers and food producers are competitive, productive and innovative. The incomes of our producers are central and critical to the success of our FoodVision 2030 strategy, and they are the bedrock of our world-class organic agri-food sector. The opening of this call underlines the Government’s commitment to delivering a premium price for organic product, and to ensuring that we meet the target in our National Organic Strategy of more than trebling the value of organic output by 2030.”
