§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what level of support his Department currently offers for organic farming; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CurryFarmers engaged in organic farming qualify for the support given to all farmers under the set-aside and pilot extensification schemes, the farm and conservation grant scheme and the nitrate sensitive areas schemes. Support under these arrangements can be used to assist farmers in converting to organic agriculture. Further support is available in the form of advice from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. This Department also provides grant aid amounting to £60,000 per annum to the United Kingdom register of organic food standards that is establishing standards and will be responsible for their enforcement in the United Kingdom.
The Department also supports research directly related to organic farming and we intend in 1991 to increase our funding for such research to about £500,000 per annum. In addition, other research into aspects of conventional farming relevant to organic production amounted to £892,000 last year. We have commissioned a study of the economics of the production and marketing of organically grown farm produce in Great Britain and a full report is expected to be published in spring 1991.
Lastly, my right hon. Friend the Minister announced earlier this year that he intended to issue a consultation document outlining a five-year scheme giving aid to those wishing to convert from conventional or organic production within the framework of the EC extensification rules. The Commission subsequently indicated that the proposed scheme was not consistent with the existing EC rules, but its recent proposals on agriculture and the environment may provide the means by which a scheme could be introduced.
This is a considerable package of support for organic agriculture and I hope that it can help British farmers to play a more prominent part in the small but growing market for organic produce.