This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Organic Action Plan
06/10/2005
The second annual report on the Executive's Organic Action Plan, which aims to double the amount of land in organic production by 2007, was published today.
Deputy Environment Minister Rhona Brankin said substantial progress has been made in developing the organic sector but more needs to be done to build on the early success.
She continued:
"The UK organic market now stands at £1.1 billion following a tenfold increase over the past ten years. The opportunities for Scottish organic producers and processors are clear.
"We set a target of doubling the area of good quality land in organic production to 30 per cent in 2007. We have achieved a figure of 21 per cent but there has been a downward trend in total land supported under the Organic Aid Scheme since 2003.
"The reduction in land supported by the scheme is due to some 300 participants completing conversion and leaving the aid scheme and the fact that the full impact of improvements and extensions, introduced last year, have yet to be realised. I am confident that improvements made to the scheme in 2004 will help promote a further spur to the sector.
"Our targets, while ambitious, are very achievable if we all work together. The Executive has increased support and is now reviewing the agri-environment payment rates to ensure they provide an appropriate level of support and encouragement."
The latest annual report has been developed in cooperation with the Organic Stakeholders Group. It sets out the actions taken by the Executive and the industry to support the development of the organic sector.
The area of organic farmland and the number of farmers supported under the Organic Aid Scheme have fallen over the past two years leading in turn to a drop in the total amount of funding provided. There are two main reasons for this.
Some 300 participants completed their five year organic conversion periods and left the scheme. Also, the full impact of the improvement and extensions introduced last year have yet to be realised.
The Organic Action Plan sets the specific target of doubling the area of good quality land in organic production so that this rises from 15 per cent to 30 per cent by 2007.
While the proportion has currently increased to 21 per cent, figures show a downward trend in land supported under the Organic Aid Scheme since 2003. It is anticipated that improvements made to the scheme in 2004 will counteract this decline.
The Organic Action Plan was published in February 2003, with the objective of building a prosperous and sustainable organic sector within the powers and resources available to the Executive.
Its specific targets are:
- To increase the proportion of Scottish organic food to 70 per cent of the demand for organic food that can be sourced in Scotland (from an estimated current level of 35 per cent)
- To work with the organic sector to achieve it's potential to double the area of good quality agricultural land in organic conversion or production by 2007 - to 30 per cent of Scotland's organic area, against a current level of 15 per cent.
The Executive's support is aimed at developing an organic farming and food sector in which demand for organic products can be met by Scottish producers where possible.
Since 2001, SEERAD has provided grants totalling over £21.8 million to support farmers converting to organic production.
Organic producers and processors have been prioritised in SEERAD's marketing and processing grant schemes. Since 2001, grants totalling £7m (almost one third of all grants), supporting investments totalling £37.4m, have been provided to organic producers and processors.
SEERAD have increased spend on advisory activities in support of organic farming (helplines, technical support, demonstration and open farms, organic farming website) from £166,000 in 2002-03 to £234,000 in 2004-05.
The Organic Aid Scheme payment rates are currently under review, to ensure that farmers are properly encouraged and compensated and that progress towards meeting our targets continues.