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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding schemes are available for organic farming; and how much is available in each scheme. [81149] Mr. Meacher: Support for farmers converting to organic farming is currently available under the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) which is part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP). Subject to the agreement of the European Commission, as set out in the Action Plan to Develop Organic Food and Farming in England, from 2003 we intend to extend aid to farmers who have completed conversion. The budgets for the OFS from this year to the end of the life of the ERDP is as follows. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year £ million 2002 20 2003 22 2004 22 2005 23 2006 23 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. We also provide other support, for example through the Department's research and development programme, which includes a large component dealing with research on organic farming, and through the provision of free advice to prospective organic farmers by the Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS). Spending on organic R&D is expected to be just over £2 million and expenditure on OCIS around £350,000 in the current financial year.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

394 c166W;394 c164W; 81149

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Finance Organic farming Research Organic farming scheme Organic Conversion Information Service

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk