Farmers “who want to embrace change” are needed to convert to organic production, minister of state at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett has said. However, “the reality is that organics will not be for everyone”, Ms Hackett said at the RDS Climate-Smart Agriculture webinar on growing organics. “If you can’t see a future without chemical fertilisers and pesticides, then organics probably isn’t for you,” she said. Despite these benefits, she said, “the reality is that to persuade enough farmers to make the switch, organics has to be a viable financial option for farm families”. “Direct payments under CAP will not be enough,” Ms Hackett said.

Source: Irish Examiner April 14, 2022 06:34 UTC