The Organic Farming Scheme is a 5-year scheme providing financial support to farmers to encourage production of organic food – both farmers converting to organic, and those continuing as certified organic producers.
What’s available?
⦁ An annual per-hectare payments — with higher rates in the first 2 conversion years.
⦁ An annual participation payment.
⦁ Access to grant aid for machinery and infrastructure (through TAMS 3).
⦁ Enhanced rates for organic horticulture.
Payment rates for horticulture
An annual participation payment of €2,000 in the first year of conversion and €1,400 for every subsequent year of the contract, to cover administrative costs, is paid in addition to the per hectare payment.
What’s involved?
To meet the criteria for the scheme you must:
⦁ Farm and manage the land included in the application.
⦁ Meet European Union standards for organic produce.
⦁ Complete an approved training course in Organic Principles & Standards. These are run throughout the year by Teagasc and NOTS, and included as part of our annual OGI Internship programme.
⦁ Register with, and be approved as, an organic operator by an Organic Certification Body – Organic Trust or Irish Organic Association.
⦁ Have a minimum farm area of 1 hectare or be able to show that you have a turnover of €8000 in the previous year (for organic horticultural producers).
⦁ You’ll also need to be registered as a food business operator and registered on the AgFood website.
How to apply
An application guide and full T&Cs are available on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine website.
Where to find more information
For full details on the steps required to make your application, download the presentation by Mary Lynch, Organic Specialist with the Agricultural Consultants Association, from our 2024 Winter Webinar Series.
Please note that the dates referred to in this presentation relate to the 2025 scheme. The closing date for the 2026 scheme is Friday, 12th December 2025.
Organic Farming Scheme Information Webinar: 27th November 2025 at 7.30pm.
Organic Farming Scheme Information Meetings:
⦁ Tuesday 2nd December, 7pm – Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
⦁ Wednesday 3rd December, 7pm – Talbot Hotel, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Certification bodies
The Organic Trust and Irish Organic Association websites also have detailed information on organic certification, and how to apply to the Organic Farming Scheme and its related grant aid schemes.