merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, today announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Organic Farming Scheme.

The Organic Farming Scheme is an agri-environment measure under the Department's Rural Development Programme 2007-13. Farmers may enter into a contract for a minimum of five years and could qualify for yearly payments of up to €283 per hectare during the conversion period and up to €142 per hectare when they have achieved full organic status. Applicants are required to submit a business plan with their OFS application and, if they have not previously taken part in the Organic Supplementary Measure in REPS, to undertake an approved training course.

On announcing the re-opening of the Scheme in 2013, Minister Coveney emphasised that "the Organic Farming Scheme is of vital importance to the development of the Organic Sector as it encourages farmers to consider the organic option and avail of the potential market opportunities that clearly exist".

In conclusion, the Minister said that the closing date for applications will be 15 May 2013 and that decisions would be made at that stage on the level of funding and on the number of applicants that will be accepted into the scheme.

Copies of the revised Organic Farming Scheme terms and conditions, together with application forms, are available on the Department's organics page at

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/organicfarming/organicsscheme/organicfarmingscheme2007-2013