Home > Country Reports > Ireland

Organic Farming in Ireland

Original text by Noreen Gibney, former IOFGA manager, with some updates by FiBL. Most of the information is from 2004.

For news see: Organic-World.net: News about organic farming in Ireland

For general information about organic farming in Ireland see

Agriculture.gov.ie: Organic farming pages
Organic-World.net: Ireland - Links

History

Up until the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91, developments related to organic production in Ireland were in the hands of a small group of pioneering dedicated organic operators, who worked mainly on a voluntary basis to develop a high quality of standards for organic production.

The Irish Organic Farmers’ and Growers’ Association (IOFGA) was established in 1981 by 6 growers. In 1991 the second body, Organic Trust Ltd., came into existence, followed by a third in 1992, the Bio-dynamic Agriculture Association of Ireland, who trade produce under the Demeter Symbol. Since 2009, the Institute of Market Ecology IMO, an international certifier has been active in Ireland. In April 2009, the Organic Growers of Ireland were founded.

Organisations

Irish Organic Farmers’ and Growers’ Association (IOFGA)

IOFGA was established in 1981. It is a membership-based organisation open to all. Its principle aims are:

To formulate and maintain a set of standards whereby agricultural produce may be classified as organic.
To certify the produce of those who request inspection and meet those standards.
To award to such certified produce an Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association Symbol.
To approve agricultural produce classified as organic by other bodies by awarding an Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association Symbol.
To provide a means of contact between members.
To encourage education and research so that improved methods of organic production can be adopted.
To aid the marketing and the promotion of organic food in Ireland.

IOFGA is approved by the Department of Agriculture and Food in Ireland for the Inspection and Certification of organic producers and processors in Ireland under Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91. It is also one of the approved certification bodies in the UK.

Internet: http://www.irishorganic.ie and www.iofga.org,
Magazine: Organic Matters.

Demeter Standards/ Bio-Dynamic Agriculture Association of Ireland (BDAAI)

The history of the biodynamic movement is described at the homepage of the Bio-Dynamic Agriculture Association of Ireland (BDAAI) as follows:

In the first half of the 20th century, the biodynamic impulse was supported in Ireland by individuals who singularly carried out their work in varying degrees.
By the mid eighties there was one Organic Movement in Ireland - - Irish Organic Growers Association (IOGA; now Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association IOFGA), and biodynamic farmers and growers were involved as founder members and the movement in general. However biodynamic producers gradually felt the need to make their produce recognisable as biodynamic.
By the late eighties a small group were being inspected by the Biodynamic Agricultural Association in the UK for Demeter status.
In January 1991 a group of committed biodynamic practitioners agreed the need to set up the Biodynamic Agricultural Association in Ireland. The Association was inaugurated in Dunshane, in September 1991.
With the imminent introduction of the Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 on organic farming, there was enormous pressure to establish a biodynamic certifying body registered within the state. By July 1992, Demeter Standards were one of two state recognised organic certifying bodies in Ireland, to be followed in 1993 by a third.
A further step was taken in 1993 when Demeter Standards began to liase with other biodynamic organisations to become a member of a movement joining all Demeter Certifiers world-wide.
However, Demeter Standards ceased its activities in 2008.

Information about the history of the biodynamic movenment and about the Bio-Dynamic Agriculture Association of Ireland (BDAAI) is available at its homepage and at that of Demeter Standards. http://biodynamic.w4y.at/demeter/index.html

Organic Trust Ltd.

Set up in 1991, the Organic Trust Limited is a non-profit making organisation.

It is a registered body, approved by the Department of Agriculture and Food in Ireland for the Inspection and Certification of organic producers and processors in Ireland under Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91. It is also one of the approved certification bodies in the UK.

Internet:http://www.iol.ie/~organic/trust.html

Organic Growers of Ireland

Organic Growers of Ireland OGI was launched in April 2009 to represent organic growers across Ireland. The organisation aims to represent the needs and views of the organic horticulture sector. It also lists the following objectives:

To support effective and dynamic promotion of organic produce
To identify training needs of growers
To share practical and market information and facilitate networking between members.
To improve access to technical information on organic horticulture
To encourage new entrants to organic production

Statistical development

The level of organic production in Ireland has progressively increased, and available statistics indicate that in 1993 238 holdings were registered with a total of 5'459 hectares under organic/conversion management. In 2004 there were almost 900 organic farms with a total of 30'000 hectares.

Most of the organic land is used as grassland. Of the arable land (ca. 1'000 hectares) most is used for cereal production, but vegetables play a major role.

EU regulation on organic farming

In Ireland the Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries is the competent authority for regulating the organic sector and ensuring that the obligations and requirements of the EU regulation on organic farming as amended are adhered to. A Statutory Instrument 112/2004 supplements the implementation in Ireland (see also www.oekoregelungen.de; German).

DAFF has approved three organic organisations for certification and inspection services (2009):

Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA),
Organic Trust Ltd.
Institute of Market Ecology IMO (since January 2009)
(Demeter Standards ceased its activities in 2008)

Demeter, IOFGA and Organic Trust have jointly developed the Standards for Organic Food and Farming in Ireland (SOFFI) which incorporates the guidelines of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) incorporating the requirements of Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 and all its amendments.

State Support for the Organic Sector

For more inforamtion see the organic farming pages at the homepage of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment DAFF.

Agriculture.gov.ie: Organic farming pages

The Market

Information about organic food and the organic market in Ireland is available at the homepage of the Irish Food Board Board Bia (see also conference proceedings at the right margin of the page).

BoardBia.ie: Organic farming pages at the homepage of Bord Bia

Training

There is a growing demand for on-going education among farmers converting to organic production. Courses, farm walks and training days are an essential part of the learning process for farmers considering changing to organic production methods.

At the internetsite of the Department of Agriculture and Food the relevant training institutions are listed.

Advisory Service

Advice on organic farming is available from several organisation, which are listed at the DAFF homepage.

Research

Research is a vital component in the development of organic farming in Ireland. At the DAFF homepage details on a number of research projects currently being carried out or that have recently been completed are available.

Agriculture.Gov.it: Organic farming research pages

General links

Forschungsinstitut fuer biologischen Landbau (FiBL) , Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
Ackerstrasse, CH-5070 Frick
Tel: +41 62 865 72 72 Fax:+41 62 865 72 73
Internet http://www.fibl.org