NORTHERN IRISH farmers are being urged to convert to organic production via the EU-funded Environmental Farming Scheme ahead of Brexit.

The scheme, which opens next Monday (August 20), is for farmers and landowners with a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs category one or two Business ID and at least three hectares of land eligible for Basic Payment. The application window closes on September 21.

The Soil Association are encouraging farmers to apply for what it described as “the last chance for organic conversion payments” before Brexit. SA head of farming, Liz Bowles, said: “This is a really good time to convert to organic. The launch of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan has confirmed what we’ve been hearing from Michael Gove for some time – that there is going to be a renewed focus on preserving and enhancing our environment, with a commitment to protecting our soils,” she said.

“Farming is going to need to play an integral role in achieving this and the fundamental principles of organic – enhancing soil health, working with ecosystems, and caring for the environment – are wholly in line with the ambitions being set out by government.

“We also know that the public demand is there for organic produce in many parts of the world. People are becoming ever more aware of how their food is produced and we are now in our sixth consecutive year of market growth for organic in the UK,” she stated.

“In 2017 we saw sales from our Northern Irish organic licensees rise significantly – with a 65% increase for fresh produce licensees and a 46% rise for meat and poultry licensees – so there are good opportunities for farmers who want to meet that rising demand,” she concluded.