ADDRESS BYMR. TREVOR SARGENT T.D. MINISTER FOR FOOD AND HORTICULTURE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,FISHERIES AND FOOD AT THE
BORD BIA NATIONAL ORGANIC FOOD CONFERENCE “MAXIMISING IRELAND’S POTENTIAL”
AT THE WATERFORD INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, WATERFORD CITYON THURSDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2008
I am very pleased that Bord Bia invited me here today to give this closing address at their National Organic Food Conference. The fact that the Conference has been such a success is down to the skill and commitment of the staff of Bord Bia and their Chief Executive. They have brought together an impressive list of high achievers, both from within the organic industry and beyond, to address you here today.
Can I start by saying how genuinely I have enjoyed the Conference. As many of you will be aware, the issue of food and particularly organic food is something that is very close to my heart. As someone who enjoys growing food in his own garden, I was delighted to be able to hear all the various views of so many learned people here today, whose own backgrounds are steeped in the cultivation, preparation and consumption of food in Ireland.
I am aware that this conference was targeted both at existing and potential producers and processors of Irish organic food as well as stakeholders in the organic sector and I am delighted to see such a large crowd here in attendance. The theme of the conference, “Maximising Ireland’s Potential” is an especially interesting one and sends out the message that we all need to start thinking about the future of the Irish organic sector and how to get the maximum benefit out of it. It gets us thinking about how we are going to change consumer behaviours and attitudes to the organic market here in Ireland. During the course of this conference today, we have listened to some of the leading players from the retail sector in Ireland and overseas. They have told us about initiatives they have taken – and will continue to take – to drive sales and grow their share within the sector. We have also heard them discuss the opportunities for Irish suppliers to further grow their presence within this market. There are a number of both challenges and opportunities lying ahead for those thinking of converting to organic and I would like to get the message across that there is a number of ways and a number of bodies within the state who can help them try to achieve this.
National Organic Week this year takes place between 15th September and 21st September. So while this Conference today is not actually part of National Organic Week this year, it is still an excellent introduction and gives a good flavour of the excellent events and promotions that lie ahead. National Organic Week is now in its third year now and gets better each year. Bord Bia have organised events throughout the week in conjunction with my Department and they are doing all in their power to promote the organic sector in this country.
In the Programme for Government last year, we pledged to increase the land area under organic production to 5% of total agricultural area by the year 2012, given that we are currently at 1 % this is no doubt a challenging target, but it is one that I and my Ministerial colleagues in the Department are committed to achieving.
Earlier this year, I launched a new Organic Farming Action Plan to help drive the organic sector forward in this country now and into the future.
The current situation shows the task that currently lies ahead of us. At the end of last year, there were just over 1,330 organic operators in Ireland with just over 41,000 hectares of land under organic production methods, equivalent to 0.9% of the total land area, it is clear that we still have a long way to go. The Irish organic retail market was estimated at €66m in 2006, and by 2012 it is predicted to reach €400m. The demand for organic food is increasing throughout Europe. However we in Ireland still have to import most of the organic fruit and vegetables that we eat.
We have to import organic cereals to finish our beef and lamb. We are hardly scratching the surface of the potential for exporting Irish organic beef and dairy produce.
Organic farming has a major role to play in meeting the ever increasing challenges of depleting oil supplies, climate change and the provision of a sustainable supply of food. More farmers producing organic food here in Ireland would mean more jobs at home and less energy used worldwide. FAO Officials have informed me that Organic Farming is in line with “Best farming Practice” and it has the potential to feed the world sustainably. With the projected rise in fossil fuel costs, inorganic fertilisers and other fuel dependant inputs are likely to drive up the costs of conventional farming. It is now conceivable that organic agriculture can become both the more profitable and beneficial method of farming in terms of our future.
Tony Reid of our Organic Unit told you this morning about the measures we have in place to encourage conventional producers to convert to organic farming, and also to support existing organic producers and operators. Under the Rural Development Programme, which runs from 2007 to 2013, and which Tony described this morning, we have now made it possible for a farmer to join the new Organic Farming Scheme without having to be in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS). This initiative is designed to encourage small-scale horticultural producers to convert to organic production, and also conventional tillage producers to convert part or even all of their holdings. The majority of organic producers will of course continue to participate in REPS as well, and we will be encouraging them to do so.
Tony also told you about the grant schemes with which we support investment by organic operators, both on and off the farm. I find it encouraging that the number of grant applications is rising steadily.
I was also very interested to learn of Mr. Stefano Cinti, Policy Officer in the Organic Food & Farming Unit EU Commission and his presentation which focused on the new EU consumer promotional campaign aimed at raising awareness of organic farming in the EU. It is very important if we are to raise the profile of organic farming both in Ireland and on an EU basis that a successful promotional campaign takes place. It is obvious that from today’s presentation the EU are taking the promotional campaign very seriously and this will help us to raise awareness in this country and to bring the organic message to the consumer.
Besides my own Department working hard to reach our targets, there are many other bodies also working every bit as diligently to implement Government Policy. Earlier this year Teagasc presented me with their first Organic Production Business Plan. This commitment by Teagasc is indeed welcome in the context of the Programme for Government target.
I also wish to acknowledge the strong commitment of Mr. Aidan Cotter and Bord Bia to the promotion of Irish organic food and the organisation of this excellent event today is proof of their commitment to our goals.
In relation to the Action Plan itself, I would like to thank the three stakeholder Groups for their input.
I am pleased that the Chairperson of the National Steering Group, Mr. John Duggan, is present here today and I acknowledge the valuable work that he and the National Steering Group have done over the years. The National Steering Group will have a crucial role in guiding and overseeing progress on the Action Plan. The Steering Group is supported by the Organic Market Development Group, chaired by Lorcan Bourke of Bord Bia, and by the Partnership Expert Working Group, chaired by Pat Barry of Teagasc. My thanks to them all.
As far as I am concerned, the future is bright for organic food and farming in Ireland. The commitment in the Programme for Government to “seek to negotiate the establishment of an all Ireland GM Free Zone” is also an important component in ensuring that the future for organic food and farming remains bright. Surveys in Austria have shown that the growing popularity of organic food is partly due to the guaranteed GM-Free status of such produce. Currently over 11% of all farmland in Austria is organic. I am totally committed to helping the organic sector grow and develop to its full potential. Current trends in relation to the production and consumption of food in this country indicate that we have an increasingly health-conscious consumer who also demands quality, convenience and value.
As the majority of organic produce sold in Ireland is imported, it is clear that there are opportunities for producers to fill that gap. I know consumers like to know where the food they buy is produced, and their preference in general is for local food. So locally produced organic food has an extra appeal to consumers.
With the growth in direct selling, via farm gate, box schemes and farmers’ markets, there is an outlet there for organic producers and processors to market their products locally.
I am fully committed to ensuring that consumers can have full confidence in the organic food they buy. For that reason my Department has assigned additional resources to the Organic Unit and they are now systematically inspecting retail outlets, including supermarkets, shops and farmers markets, checking to ensure that all product identified as organic has been produced fully in accordance with the organic regulations. We want to ensure that consumers of organic food have confidence in what they are buying, if they are willing to pay an extra premium for their food, they should be re-assured that they are buying the real thing. For this reason, we keep an eye on retailers throughout the country, in shops as well as at markets.
Our job is to ensure that consumers can continue to have full confidence that what they are buying is the real thing.
To conclude, I wish you all every success in your enterprises. I hope that today has been of some value to you as you decide the route forward into the future.
I am convinced that with all the stakeholders of the industry pulling together, we can reach the goals that we have set.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
