The event takes place on February 29 in the County Arms Hotel, Birr, Co. Offaly, and more than 100 growers and processors are expected to attend. This is a once-off, in-depth knowledge exchange day which will feature contributions from key DAFM staff, the Organic Growers of Ireland, Teagasc, the Agricultural Consultants Association, and many of the leading organic growers working in Ireland today.
Commenting, Minister Pippa Hackett said: “Organic fruit and vegetables are often the first step for consumers when buying organic food. There is huge potential for us to replace imported food and provide an income for hard working Irish growers. We can do much more to support organic horticultural growers, and this event is a real opportunity for us to share and exchange knowledge as we strive to grow the sector. Everybody with an interest in organic horticulture is welcome on Thursday – growers, gardeners, market gardeners, farmers, processors, and retailers.”
There will be dedicated Q&A sessions after each presentation, as well as interactive roundtable workshops with key stakeholders.
Sean McGloin, NOTS manager, outlined the reasoning behind the organisation of the event: “The aim of the event is to inform small growers of what supports are out there for them if they join the Organic Farming Scheme. We will also help to outline how to access these supports. From a land-use perspective, organic vegetable growers produce more crops per hectare than any other land use type, and it is important that they are recognised and rewarded for their efforts.”