This is the follow-on interview with Trevor Sargent, the new minister of state in the Department of Agriculture and Food. In the previous post, he outlined his remit and vision for food in Ireland. The only relevant aspect not covered in detail was organic farming. Here's the organic bit...
Oliver Moore:
We�ve had targets for increasing organic production before, and failed. All across Europe, despite some growth in the sector, increased organic production targets have not been met. This has also been the case in countries where the Greens have been in government, such as Germany. In this context, how realistic is the aim for 5% organic by 2012?
Trevor Sargent:
The target is high but hopefully not too high. Austria is leading the way in Europe, with over 11%. I would hope our 5% is seen as prudent and practical. It�s especially realisable in the sheep and drystock area. This would have been acknowledged in the Dail by the previous minister, Joe Walsh, in debates we�ve had. He was saying that much of the production is almost organic, and I was saying let�s make it official then, by helping the farmers in question to be certified organic. Then they would have the additional benefits and premiums in being certified organic.
OM: What are the barriers you see to the development of the sheep and drystock aspects of the organic sector?
TS: Getting animals slaughtered in a way that ensures they could maintain their organic status�that has been a problem for a number of organic growers that I�m aware of. They produced animals to the organic standard, but when it came to slaughtering, they weren�t able to maintain their organic standard beyond slaughtering� that�s why I�m working to insure that local abattoirs are available, so that organic farmers can comply with the requirements for slaughter. I�ll also be talking to the other factories, to make sure that there�s room for organic slaughtering as well. It�s a case of filling the gaps in the system that are there already.
OM: I suppose it fits in with the traditional green approach to not liking live exports, while at the same time dealing with the economic realities of Irish farming.
TS: It�s positive. I mean, this is what I hope my ministry is all about - looking at the positive, and capitalising on the natural advantages we have, while being pragmatic in supporting farmers.
OM: What else does the organic sector need to develop:
TS: We also need to insure that the training is there too, and an independent organic agency. These are oft called for from the organic bodies. Also, a public procurement programme for organic food in canteens and restaurants. These are all part of (the overall) strategy. I�ll be working to put that strategy in place quickly, to insure that it gets the targeted funding it needs. I�ve no doubt it�s (5%) a realisable figure, there�s a great public appetite, no pun intended, for the target, as it represents import substitution. According to figures I�ve read, up to 75% of organic produce is imported. Aside from the export potential which is huge, and needs to be developed further, there is a huge potential for import substitution. It�s a sad reflection that so many people associate organic with imported produce.
OM: What about the role of the organic certification bodies?
TS: I recognise the huge work they are doing, but I think too much is being put on their shoulders. It�s not about taking away from the certification bodies, but about augmenting the work by having a national strategy. I know the organic development committee is working hard to implement a national strategy: I look forward to meeting Mr Duggan and the committee to do everything I can to help in that. I�m involved myself with all three certification bodies, Demeter, the Orgnaic Trust and IOFGA.
OM: Are you certified organic yourself?
TS: I�m sorry to say I have all the documentation at home, but I haven�t had time to deal with all the paperwork! Which I�m sure is a problem that most farmers can relate to, the amount of paperwork and bureaucracy that goes with it.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
Here is the interview I did with Green Party leader and New minister of State for Food and Horticulture here in Ireland, Trevor Sargent. It was published recently in the Irish Examiner's farming supplement, which comes out every Thursday. Nothing about organics actually, as that was kept over for the organic diary, which was published last thursday.
Oliver Moore: Being from Dublin, and with the Green Party having such an urban base�
Trevor Sargent: Hang on a second, are you labouring under the misapprehension? Aren�t you aware that half of the fresh produce in the country is produced in north county Dublin? There are also a lot of lamb, sheep and dry stock farmers there too. And, for the record, I�m not a city person - where I live is a serious food producing area
OM: So you have an automatic connection to farming�
TS: I do, also through my family in Longford and Meath, I would have been involved with farming during my summer holidays
OM: You also do some gardening, if I�m not mistaken?
TS: I do: I grow as much of my food as possible in a small suburban garden
OM: Tell me about your new role. What�s your remit?
TS: My responsibilities cover the development of the food industry throughout the country. That entails monitoring the food industry headings under the national development plan. The specific aspects include the horticulture sector, including plant health and organic production, though of course organic production goes far beyond horticulture, as the biggest growth in that sector is in livestock.
The early retirement scheme is also in my area. Insuring that farming has a future means encouraging young people to get involved in farming. This scheme can�t be made attractive enough, for somebody to let their farm be farmed by a younger person, when they get to an age when they could enjoy a slightly easier life, given that farming is such a hard life.
I also have responsibility for livestock breeding. A particular interest of mine is in establishing more abattoirs locally. Animal feedstuffs are another important area of mine.
OM: That�s a fairly broad remit. This latter area is an interesting one.
TS: It has an international dimension. Currently, we are relying on imported feedstuffs, even though much of our livestock is produced for export�we have to insure that these imports are of a standard to get the best market opportunities in our exports. So we need a full debate on the growing influence of the biotech industry in the production of GM animal feed, given that our markets are very keen to ensure GM-free produce. Examples include Co-Op Italia, and many others� Carrefour, Auchan, in the UK there�s UK Teascos, M&S, Sainsburys, Budgens stores. They all have high quality labels that require meat and dairy produce to be fed on certified GM-free feed.
OM: But we do sell meat to these countries, and these retailers you�ve mentioned are some of the biggest players in these countries. So is it that we don�t get to sell meat to them or that we are at risk?
TS: I think we�re at risk. Because at the moment, we don�t declare that the food is fed with GM. So it is taken as read that if it�s not declared as GM it must be non-GM. So we are managing to get away without having to certify it as GM free at the moment. But I�m seeing a trend internationally, where consumers are requiring far more upfront certification. In that regard, we need to be prepared for that. We have such a good grass producing climate in this country. We should be taking advantage, and insuring the greatest possible self-reliance in feed from our cereal sector, and making sure the supply of GM-free feed is assured.
OM: What is the current status of availability of GM-free feed?
TS: It is available. There has been a meeting between suppliers and the 3rd largest feed supplier in the world, the Brazilian company Imcopa. They were assuring farming organisations they have sufficient feed for the whole of Europe, should the whole of Europe decide it wanted it .They certainly would supply Ireland
OM: I suppose we then get into a whole set of other arguments, about GM, food miles, regulations in Brazil�
TS: Well this is the crossroads we are at. We need to capitalise on the high quality reputation we have, and that is to be found in guaranteeing that we are GM free. We need to both maintain and enhance our reputation. We need to look at what we stand to loose, not just the costs. We need to make the best, long term decisions. 15 dollars per tonne is the price of guaranteeing GM-free soya, according to Impoca. We need to also work at import substitution, to make sure that the money goes to our own cereal sector, rather than exporting the money. We also need to maintain our extensive production, so that we can rely as much as possible on grass feeding�it�s about playing to our natural advantages.
OM: What about the recent Teagasc report on GM, which pitches the cost of staying GM-free as somewhere between �7 and �42million, depending on the scenario considered?
TS: I want to meet with Teagasc, to see how they arrived at that figure. Because it�s very important that we take decisions based on all the information, and longer term contexts, and what potential we have to avoid costs. I think it�s fair and wise to ask those questions. Previously, let�s remember, we were all advised feeding meat and bone meal was a good cost effective course of action. We found to our cost that it was anything but. I think we should learn lessons from the past.
OM: Maybe it is the case that the scope of research Teagasc can do, while being good in its own scientific area, might not be able to take into account the market, socio-cultural realities and so on.
TS: Well I would say that (is the case), because the previous programme for government, when it came to GM, talked about taking into account both health and environmental criteria. It didn�t talk about taking into account markets. From an agricultural point of view, it�s vital that we take into account the market�. there are GM-free zones all over Europe, including Ireland�.
OM: But what about the legal status of these zones?
TS: There are ways around it. EU rules state that you need to prove that it�s not possible for GM and non GM to co-exist, before you can declare an area GM free. There�s grounds for that in Ireland�.Likewise, you can, if there�s an agreement in an area, where all the growers undertake not to grow GM, you can de facto declare the area GM free. And it would be, I would argue, in the interest of farming in the area to capitalise on their selling point in doing so. The fact that councils have declared their area GM free indicates that there is popular support for declaring an area GM free. There are ways around the WTO rules, (rules) that have been seriously influenced by the biotech industry, but I think people need to be able to determine their futures.
OM: You mentioned at the start that you were from a horticultural region of Dublin. What is the current situation regarding horticulture?
TM: In particular, they are the ones under the most pressure - so many of them are under so much pressure that they are going out of business. This is bad news not only for these farming families, but also for us nationally, because our food security is further diminished. Food and energy are intrinsically linked together. The price of energy is a large part of the food production costs. A grower in my own area, producing parsnips and leeks, has found that his energy costs have more than quadrupled in the last 5 years. And yet, he�s not getting anything more for his produce. He�s under more and more pressure every day to keep going. If we could reduce the food miles, and have more access to his produce rather than just depending on supermarkets, then there would be the option for him to continue beyond what he is currently doing
OM: So is part of your remit also farmers� markets?
TS: Very much so. There needs to be a number of measures in this job, to insure you are making progress, and the number of farmers� markets is one such measure. So I will be meetings county managers, local authorities, public representatives and officials, so that they will recognise that they have a role to play, to insure that their area has as many farmers� markets as possible.
OM: As you are aware, different local authorities have had different attitudes to farmers� markets ranging from positive to negative.
TS: Very much so, both your paper and your strong Munster readership have been leading the country in this regard. You have managed to create the association between say, west cork and gourmet food...
OM: But why is it that in Ennis they�re fined for putting up signs saying the farmers� markets is on, and in Leitrim they are funded for putting up signs saying it�s on?
TS: There is a clear inconsistency�so there should be consistency in how our markets are developed and advertised, notwithstanding regional branding diversity
OM: How will farmers� markets accommodate the very large growers in your part of the country?
TS: (These producers) are in many ways designing their operations around supermarket interests - to the point of just having one or two crops�maybe farmers� market can help these producers, if only in relation to market research. Maybe it�d be a small part of their sales, but it might provide a lot of useful information for them�for example, one thing that went down quite well, though it would be a small part of his overall business, was the selling at farmers� markets of Brussels Sprouts still on the stalk. That�s something of a unique selling point, it keeps the product fresh while people also like the idea...there needs to be some reaching out from the organisers of the farmers� markets; maybe to take delivery of some of the produce for markets from these farmers, and undertaking to sell the produce on a commission basis. There needs to be some way of connecting farmers and farmers� markets, and that requires a bit of lateral thinking�
Oliver Moore: Being from Dublin, and with the Green Party having such an urban base�
Trevor Sargent: Hang on a second, are you labouring under the misapprehension? Aren�t you aware that half of the fresh produce in the country is produced in north county Dublin? There are also a lot of lamb, sheep and dry stock farmers there too. And, for the record, I�m not a city person - where I live is a serious food producing area
OM: So you have an automatic connection to farming�
TS: I do, also through my family in Longford and Meath, I would have been involved with farming during my summer holidays
OM: You also do some gardening, if I�m not mistaken?
TS: I do: I grow as much of my food as possible in a small suburban garden
OM: Tell me about your new role. What�s your remit?
TS: My responsibilities cover the development of the food industry throughout the country. That entails monitoring the food industry headings under the national development plan. The specific aspects include the horticulture sector, including plant health and organic production, though of course organic production goes far beyond horticulture, as the biggest growth in that sector is in livestock.
The early retirement scheme is also in my area. Insuring that farming has a future means encouraging young people to get involved in farming. This scheme can�t be made attractive enough, for somebody to let their farm be farmed by a younger person, when they get to an age when they could enjoy a slightly easier life, given that farming is such a hard life.
I also have responsibility for livestock breeding. A particular interest of mine is in establishing more abattoirs locally. Animal feedstuffs are another important area of mine.
OM: That�s a fairly broad remit. This latter area is an interesting one.
TS: It has an international dimension. Currently, we are relying on imported feedstuffs, even though much of our livestock is produced for export�we have to insure that these imports are of a standard to get the best market opportunities in our exports. So we need a full debate on the growing influence of the biotech industry in the production of GM animal feed, given that our markets are very keen to ensure GM-free produce. Examples include Co-Op Italia, and many others� Carrefour, Auchan, in the UK there�s UK Teascos, M&S, Sainsburys, Budgens stores. They all have high quality labels that require meat and dairy produce to be fed on certified GM-free feed.
OM: But we do sell meat to these countries, and these retailers you�ve mentioned are some of the biggest players in these countries. So is it that we don�t get to sell meat to them or that we are at risk?
TS: I think we�re at risk. Because at the moment, we don�t declare that the food is fed with GM. So it is taken as read that if it�s not declared as GM it must be non-GM. So we are managing to get away without having to certify it as GM free at the moment. But I�m seeing a trend internationally, where consumers are requiring far more upfront certification. In that regard, we need to be prepared for that. We have such a good grass producing climate in this country. We should be taking advantage, and insuring the greatest possible self-reliance in feed from our cereal sector, and making sure the supply of GM-free feed is assured.
OM: What is the current status of availability of GM-free feed?
TS: It is available. There has been a meeting between suppliers and the 3rd largest feed supplier in the world, the Brazilian company Imcopa. They were assuring farming organisations they have sufficient feed for the whole of Europe, should the whole of Europe decide it wanted it .They certainly would supply Ireland
OM: I suppose we then get into a whole set of other arguments, about GM, food miles, regulations in Brazil�
TS: Well this is the crossroads we are at. We need to capitalise on the high quality reputation we have, and that is to be found in guaranteeing that we are GM free. We need to both maintain and enhance our reputation. We need to look at what we stand to loose, not just the costs. We need to make the best, long term decisions. 15 dollars per tonne is the price of guaranteeing GM-free soya, according to Impoca. We need to also work at import substitution, to make sure that the money goes to our own cereal sector, rather than exporting the money. We also need to maintain our extensive production, so that we can rely as much as possible on grass feeding�it�s about playing to our natural advantages.
OM: What about the recent Teagasc report on GM, which pitches the cost of staying GM-free as somewhere between �7 and �42million, depending on the scenario considered?
TS: I want to meet with Teagasc, to see how they arrived at that figure. Because it�s very important that we take decisions based on all the information, and longer term contexts, and what potential we have to avoid costs. I think it�s fair and wise to ask those questions. Previously, let�s remember, we were all advised feeding meat and bone meal was a good cost effective course of action. We found to our cost that it was anything but. I think we should learn lessons from the past.
OM: Maybe it is the case that the scope of research Teagasc can do, while being good in its own scientific area, might not be able to take into account the market, socio-cultural realities and so on.
TS: Well I would say that (is the case), because the previous programme for government, when it came to GM, talked about taking into account both health and environmental criteria. It didn�t talk about taking into account markets. From an agricultural point of view, it�s vital that we take into account the market�. there are GM-free zones all over Europe, including Ireland�.
OM: But what about the legal status of these zones?
TS: There are ways around it. EU rules state that you need to prove that it�s not possible for GM and non GM to co-exist, before you can declare an area GM free. There�s grounds for that in Ireland�.Likewise, you can, if there�s an agreement in an area, where all the growers undertake not to grow GM, you can de facto declare the area GM free. And it would be, I would argue, in the interest of farming in the area to capitalise on their selling point in doing so. The fact that councils have declared their area GM free indicates that there is popular support for declaring an area GM free. There are ways around the WTO rules, (rules) that have been seriously influenced by the biotech industry, but I think people need to be able to determine their futures.
OM: You mentioned at the start that you were from a horticultural region of Dublin. What is the current situation regarding horticulture?
TM: In particular, they are the ones under the most pressure - so many of them are under so much pressure that they are going out of business. This is bad news not only for these farming families, but also for us nationally, because our food security is further diminished. Food and energy are intrinsically linked together. The price of energy is a large part of the food production costs. A grower in my own area, producing parsnips and leeks, has found that his energy costs have more than quadrupled in the last 5 years. And yet, he�s not getting anything more for his produce. He�s under more and more pressure every day to keep going. If we could reduce the food miles, and have more access to his produce rather than just depending on supermarkets, then there would be the option for him to continue beyond what he is currently doing
OM: So is part of your remit also farmers� markets?
TS: Very much so. There needs to be a number of measures in this job, to insure you are making progress, and the number of farmers� markets is one such measure. So I will be meetings county managers, local authorities, public representatives and officials, so that they will recognise that they have a role to play, to insure that their area has as many farmers� markets as possible.
OM: As you are aware, different local authorities have had different attitudes to farmers� markets ranging from positive to negative.
TS: Very much so, both your paper and your strong Munster readership have been leading the country in this regard. You have managed to create the association between say, west cork and gourmet food...
OM: But why is it that in Ennis they�re fined for putting up signs saying the farmers� markets is on, and in Leitrim they are funded for putting up signs saying it�s on?
TS: There is a clear inconsistency�so there should be consistency in how our markets are developed and advertised, notwithstanding regional branding diversity
OM: How will farmers� markets accommodate the very large growers in your part of the country?
TS: (These producers) are in many ways designing their operations around supermarket interests - to the point of just having one or two crops�maybe farmers� market can help these producers, if only in relation to market research. Maybe it�d be a small part of their sales, but it might provide a lot of useful information for them�for example, one thing that went down quite well, though it would be a small part of his overall business, was the selling at farmers� markets of Brussels Sprouts still on the stalk. That�s something of a unique selling point, it keeps the product fresh while people also like the idea...there needs to be some reaching out from the organisers of the farmers� markets; maybe to take delivery of some of the produce for markets from these farmers, and undertaking to sell the produce on a commission basis. There needs to be some way of connecting farmers and farmers� markets, and that requires a bit of lateral thinking�
Thursday, July 5, 2007
intro vid to organic
Ahhh, its good to be back
2nd draft of PhD handed over, tiny window of time....and how things have improved since I was last here!
Green minister for food and horticulture, with whom I've had an interview in the examiner last week and this....he was also at the farmers' market conference, which was also great....and he stayed and listened!
Tings luk gud, sow day do
the point of this post: have a look at the video in the link below........
intro to organic farming in the US, and it's relation to carbon dioxide
lovely little video starting with Percy Schmeiser, and going into a straightforward description of organic farming and it's relation to green house gases..........
Ahhh, its good to be back
2nd draft of PhD handed over, tiny window of time....and how things have improved since I was last here!
Green minister for food and horticulture, with whom I've had an interview in the examiner last week and this....he was also at the farmers' market conference, which was also great....and he stayed and listened!
Tings luk gud, sow day do
the point of this post: have a look at the video in the link below........
intro to organic farming in the US, and it's relation to carbon dioxide
lovely little video starting with Percy Schmeiser, and going into a straightforward description of organic farming and it's relation to green house gases..........
Sunday, June 17, 2007
I'm redraftin a bit of me PhD at the mo, so postings have slowed down for a bit, and will for another 10 days or so....however, here's another of my Examiner articles in case you missed it first time around.
Ever wanted to know what a life in the week of an organic farming development worker would entail? Well, read on........
�Monday usually involves a bit of admin, organising upcoming training and paperwork to keep the funders happy� so says Sean McGloin of the Western Organic Network (WON). WON organise training all over Ireland for organic farmers, and for those considering the organic option. Sean, a graduate from the Ballyhaise Agricultural College, is the main organiser of these trainings, and in this capacity, is kept busy six days a week. And there�s more plotting and planning involved in this role that you�d imagine. An interesting life, but a busy one nonetheless.
Ever wanted to know what a life in the week of an organic farming development worker would entail? Well, read on........
�Monday usually involves a bit of admin, organising upcoming training and paperwork to keep the funders happy� so says Sean McGloin of the Western Organic Network (WON). WON organise training all over Ireland for organic farmers, and for those considering the organic option. Sean, a graduate from the Ballyhaise Agricultural College, is the main organiser of these trainings, and in this capacity, is kept busy six days a week. And there�s more plotting and planning involved in this role that you�d imagine. An interesting life, but a busy one nonetheless.
�Last Monday, I was also working on getting another mobile butchers, as the Leitrim Organic Co-op�s one is attending a market in Dublin on the day it used to attend the Carrick-on-Shannon farmer�s market�. Monday also involved worked on organising a rare breed (Moiled cattle) training day in Antrim. A busy fella, and it�s still only Monday!
�On Tuesday I was at a very interesting workshop in Mountmellick. It was about what�s called care farming or social farming. It�s the idea that farms can be therapeutic centres, where people can come to work and learn. Because it would involve people with difficult backgrounds, mental and physical disabilities, depression, drug or alcohol problems, domestic violence and so on, getting funding for something like this would require a broad spectrum of cross cabinet departmental co-operation. And there isn�t much in the way of policy in this area, so there�s a lot to be done on it. However it is a promising area � over 40 people attended the workshop. Some groups are doing something similar already, like the Camphill communities, brothers of charity, St. John of Gods. Of course it can also be another income stream for farmers.�
Wednesday was the Teagasc organic production conference. �It was very upbeat, they were expecting 120 and got more like 160. And most of them were conventional farmers, which was great. A horticulturalist with 150 acres spoke of supplying hotels and catering in general, and avoiding the supermarkets altogether. Overall, the speakers were good, but one guy really stole the show. A fantastic guy, over from Australia, spoke about specialised machinery for organic horticulture. He was really enthusiastic and really professional .He did a fantastic presentation on mechanical weed control. Nobody could believe how far they�d come. He�s even invented his own small-scale machinery, which could easily be hooked up to a small tractor on a farm in the west of Ireland�
Thursday involved working on supplying organic lamb to the north east: �it�s one of the areas that the market hasn�t developed for. But Leitrim Co-op may have another contract for supplying organic lamb to a retailer � up to 2,000 a year. The logistics have to be worked out, quality, weights, continuity of supply, but it�s looking promising We�ll organise training for producers if it happens.� Sean also worked on the upcoming farmers� market conference in Athlone, did a bit of admin, and somehow squeezed in a bit of studying for his MA in Organic Agriculture, which he�s doing as distance learning through Aberdeen University.
On Friday, Sean had his weekly meeting on Septembers� food festival which will be held in Drunshanbo, and, of course, more admin and more paperwork � which, as you�ll probably see by now, is the bane of everyone who works in the funded sector�s life.
He didn�t do anything specifically organic-related on Sunday, he tells me. Somehow, I�d imagine he took the odd work-related call, and probably ended up talking shop with someone, somewhere.
The Western Organic Network can be contacted at:
Enterprise Centre, Hill Road, Drunshanbo, Co.Leitrim, on 071 9640688 or by email at info@westernorganicnetwork.com
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Identity and masculinity in modern Ireland
Just to prove that I am not completely obsessed with organic farming, here's an article I wrote a while ago for the Irish Examiner about male roles and parenting in modern Ireland.
Whenever I take my kids to the park, I�m always amazed at how people keep saying things like �oh you�ve got your hands full there�. I mean, I�ve only got two kids! When my partner Vicki takes our kids and sometimes more kids to the same park, no one bats an eyelid. I got to wondering why this was the case: why do people still have lower expectations of men than women when it comes to parenting?
I spoke to Dr. Sara O� Sullivan, who teaches a course on gender in UCD about the issue. I suggested to her that people, in particular from an older generation, often have a conservative conception of the role of the man in the family. While she agreed, she qualified the idea by suggesting that within couples, expectations had in fact changed. It�s just that the practical realities of work hadn�t kept up: �within couples, there is an expectation of more involvement. There is an understanding that the breadwinner role is an outdated one, and that the father as nurturer and a carer is something that is expected. Some kind of contribution to other domestic work is usually expected by women. That can cause a little bit of difficulty because the broader context of work outside the home hasn�t changed, and that can be problematic for both men and women�
Back to Sara: �The metrosexual is the dominant advertising image presented to men, and this is a lot more of a take up of beauty products, you know waxing, fake tans and the like. Certainly there is an increase in the emphasis on the body, but that�s younger men. I don�t think it really impacts on older men�
Thursday, May 17, 2007
natural soap (opera material!)
how natural are natural soaps?
Some of these brands are also available on this side of the pond, including in Ireland
have a look: clean up
it's more a story of drug categorisations in the US, punks called germs and the purity of their personal hygiene (which is v pure btw!)
Some of these brands are also available on this side of the pond, including in Ireland
have a look: clean up
it's more a story of drug categorisations in the US, punks called germs and the purity of their personal hygiene (which is v pure btw!)
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
this article follows on from the recent outline of Suzanne Padel's forthcoming research into organic farmer values, available here
Is money the main motivation for farmers converting to organic today? How do organic farming values differ today from the pioneering days? New research into organic farmers in five different countries finds that the values then and now do indeed differ: this research, however, finds that they are not necessarily any weaker. What about Ireland?
I spoke to two pioneering organic farmers about values. One (Joseph, not his real name) started farming organically in the early 1980s. The other began in the early 1990s; Cait Curran, an organic market gardener. Both pioneers claimed that organic farming values were indeed different, including attitude to money:
Joseph �In the early days it was about nature, animal welfare, harmony and balance: for many also a way of life�and it was certainly about financial survival rather than making money�
Cait: �The health of the soil is the cornerstone of organic practice so that was always a huge concern for organic pioneers�organic producers have lost much of the ethos that defined a way of life as well as a livelihood. A percentage of farmers converted purely for the available money through REPS, but these are the ones who also exited from the scheme when the REPS period ended�.
A recent convert, Ralph Haslan (dairy farming since 1973, certified organic since 2001) did de-emphasis the financial side of it:
Ralph: �Today it�s geared a little bit more towards the commercial, but that�s because there is a market for it now. But it�s not the only issue. They are not making any more money, or much more money, being organic. But they have less stock, less inputs and are getting the same return...to rely on the money end would be a false economy�.
Interestingly, he adds �it is a market-led operation; you have to find your own market. It s not like a co-op coming to you and saying, �we�ll take whatever you have off you��.
Pioneers did feel that organic standards are now weaker and attitudes to organic rules questionable. Both State regulatory bodies and farmers themselves are to blame:
Joseph: �Now it is all about compliance, finding loopholes and getting away with the absolute minimum required by the standards. Derogation is the buzzword�if you make a good case you get, nearly always, what you want. To find ways to prevent or minimise problems are too cumbersome�dosing is easier than working out proper rotations. There is also the idea, in the heads of some people in the Organic Unit, that a further erosion of rules and regulations will bring in more producers�.
Cait: �I feel there has been a softening of standards particularly in relation to livestock production and this will follow for cereal production as well through efforts to raise the levels of production. Conversely, horticultural production has become more regulated.�
It�s not all negative from the pioneers. Joseph claims to notice that many farmers he meets who are considering organics �see clearly the negative sides of conventional farming and have serious doubts about their future in it�. Cait does also suggest that at least some converts also start believing in organic farming once they�ve been farming that way for a while.
Ralph seems to be one of these. I asked him if he thought about the environment before he converted to organic: �no to be honest. We were all, not brainwashed, but led to believe that this (farming with synthetic chemicals) was the way of the future.�
However, by the early 1990s, he was starting to get worried: Before I turned organic, I could see the ground needing more and more chemicals and fertilizer to keep going�. Today on his farm in Offaly, he sees a marked difference: �we�ve more diversity on the farm, there�s more wildlife. We�ve a lot more birds and butterflies, bees, everything. And worms. The amount of earthworms we have on the farm is unbelievable�
Overall then, values do seem different, but not radically so. For many, it may not be the life choice it was. Likewise, state and commercial pressures have their effect. However farmers do also seem to become organic in mind as well as practice in the end.
Is money the main motivation for farmers converting to organic today? How do organic farming values differ today from the pioneering days? New research into organic farmers in five different countries finds that the values then and now do indeed differ: this research, however, finds that they are not necessarily any weaker. What about Ireland?
I spoke to two pioneering organic farmers about values. One (Joseph, not his real name) started farming organically in the early 1980s. The other began in the early 1990s; Cait Curran, an organic market gardener. Both pioneers claimed that organic farming values were indeed different, including attitude to money:
Joseph �In the early days it was about nature, animal welfare, harmony and balance: for many also a way of life�and it was certainly about financial survival rather than making money�
Cait: �The health of the soil is the cornerstone of organic practice so that was always a huge concern for organic pioneers�organic producers have lost much of the ethos that defined a way of life as well as a livelihood. A percentage of farmers converted purely for the available money through REPS, but these are the ones who also exited from the scheme when the REPS period ended�.
A recent convert, Ralph Haslan (dairy farming since 1973, certified organic since 2001) did de-emphasis the financial side of it:
Ralph: �Today it�s geared a little bit more towards the commercial, but that�s because there is a market for it now. But it�s not the only issue. They are not making any more money, or much more money, being organic. But they have less stock, less inputs and are getting the same return...to rely on the money end would be a false economy�.
Interestingly, he adds �it is a market-led operation; you have to find your own market. It s not like a co-op coming to you and saying, �we�ll take whatever you have off you��.
Pioneers did feel that organic standards are now weaker and attitudes to organic rules questionable. Both State regulatory bodies and farmers themselves are to blame:
Joseph: �Now it is all about compliance, finding loopholes and getting away with the absolute minimum required by the standards. Derogation is the buzzword�if you make a good case you get, nearly always, what you want. To find ways to prevent or minimise problems are too cumbersome�dosing is easier than working out proper rotations. There is also the idea, in the heads of some people in the Organic Unit, that a further erosion of rules and regulations will bring in more producers�.
Cait: �I feel there has been a softening of standards particularly in relation to livestock production and this will follow for cereal production as well through efforts to raise the levels of production. Conversely, horticultural production has become more regulated.�
It�s not all negative from the pioneers. Joseph claims to notice that many farmers he meets who are considering organics �see clearly the negative sides of conventional farming and have serious doubts about their future in it�. Cait does also suggest that at least some converts also start believing in organic farming once they�ve been farming that way for a while.
Ralph seems to be one of these. I asked him if he thought about the environment before he converted to organic: �no to be honest. We were all, not brainwashed, but led to believe that this (farming with synthetic chemicals) was the way of the future.�
However, by the early 1990s, he was starting to get worried: Before I turned organic, I could see the ground needing more and more chemicals and fertilizer to keep going�. Today on his farm in Offaly, he sees a marked difference: �we�ve more diversity on the farm, there�s more wildlife. We�ve a lot more birds and butterflies, bees, everything. And worms. The amount of earthworms we have on the farm is unbelievable�
Overall then, values do seem different, but not radically so. For many, it may not be the life choice it was. Likewise, state and commercial pressures have their effect. However farmers do also seem to become organic in mind as well as practice in the end.
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