Quick facts
- Status
- Closed to new applicants
- Participation payment
- €2,000 in year one, €1,400 after
- Conversion period
- First 2 years, at higher rates
- Minimum land
- 3 hectares (1 for horticulture)
- Training
- 25-hour QQI Level 5 course
- Claim through
- Your BISS application
Payment rates per hectare
Rates depend on what you farm, how many hectares, and whether you are still converting.
- Horticulture: €800 converting, €600 after
- Dairy: €350 converting, €300 after
- Tillage: €320 converting, €270 after
- Drystock: €300 converting, €250 after
Those rates are for the first 70 hectares. Above 70 hectares, every type gets €60 a hectare while converting and €30 after.
The participation payment is added on top: "€2,000 for your first year of converting to organics" and "€1,400 for each subsequent year of the contract"
Who qualifies
You must produce livestock or crops to EU organic standards, be an active farmer, be 18 or over, and be approved by an Organic Certification Body.
"You must also have at least 3 hectares that you can farm organically, or 1 hectare if you are a horticultural producer."
Not all land counts. Commonage, grazing rights, rented land, farmyards and farm roadways are excluded, along with most forestry.
"You don’t have to convert your entire farm to organic farming." But organic and conventional crops or stock must be different species or varieties, so they can be told apart.
The steps to get in
Register with a certification body. "There are 2 organic certification bodies in Ireland:" the Irish Organic Association and the Organic Trust.
Do the training. "This is a 25-hour, QQI Level 5 course on organic farming principles." It runs through the National Organic Training Skillnet or Teagasc. In a farm partnership, only one person needs to do it.
Watch the timing. "To qualify for the in-conversion rate of payment for the maximum 2 years, you must apply for the scheme within 4 months of getting your organic licence."
When it is open, you apply with your BISS application on MyAgFood.ie.
If you break the rules
You can be removed from the scheme and asked to repay money with interest. "You can be banned from the scheme for up to 5 years"
You can appeal a penalty by writing to the Department. "You must do this within 10 working days of getting the formal notification about the penalty."
Common questions
Is the Organic Farming Scheme open?
No. Citizens Information says it is currently closed to applicants. Existing members keep claiming through their BISS application.
How much does the Organic Farming Scheme pay?
It depends on the farm type. On the first 70 hectares, drystock gets €300 a hectare while converting and €250 after, dairy €350 and €300, tillage €320 and €270, and horticulture €800 and €600.
Is there a payment on top of the per hectare rate?
Yes. A participation payment of €2,000 for the first year of converting, and €1,400 for each year after that.
How much land do I need?
At least 3 hectares you can farm organically, or 1 hectare if you are a horticultural producer.
Can I convert only part of my farm?
Yes, as long as organic and non-organic crops or livestock are different species or varieties so they can be told apart.
Can rented land go into the scheme?
No. Rented land is on Citizens Information's list of land that does not qualify.