Organic Focus: ‘A New Phase in the Development of the Organic Sector’

Above: Minister of State Shane McEntee addressing the first meeting of the newly established Organic Focus, the national group which aims to drive the development of the organic sector

The Minister of State said he hoped that the inaugural meeting of Organic Fo-cus marked the start of a new phase in the development of the sector. The group is made up of representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and Bord Bia as well as stakeholders from across the spectrum of the organic sector including meat, dairy, poultry, horticulture, cereals and aquaculture. Commenting on the task ahead for the group, the Minister stated “While there are challenges, if the focus is on identifying solu-tions where possible and developing strategies to achieve progress, the po-tential that exists can be realised for the benefit of all.” At the end of 2011 the estimated value of the Irish Organic market in 2011 was €100 million with 1,721 organic operators in Ireland and 52,390 hectares of land under organic production methods.

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