Organic Farming Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke and replace the Organic Farming Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (S.R. 2001 No. 5). The Regulations provide for the payment of grant to farmers who agree to introduce organic farming methods and comply with the statutory management requirements and standards of good agricultural and environmental condition provided for in Articles 4 and 5 of and Annexes III and IV to Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 (otherwise known as “cross compliance”).

Grant paid under these Regulations is part of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme submitted by the United Kingdom to the European Commission in accordance with Article 18 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and approved by the Commission on 24th July 2007.

Regulation 3 provides for the payment of grant to farmers who are certified by an organic inspection authority as having agreed a plan to convert all or part of their holding to organic farming methods.

Regulation 4 sets out the conditions to be met by those making a claim for grant under these Regulations. In particular it provides for agreements between the Department and such persons and for the variation of such agreements. The agreements are intended to ensure compliance by the claimant with the relevant requirements for conversion of his holding to organic standards, including appropriate certification by an inspection authority.

Regulation 5 sets out the conditions to be met by any claim for grant.

Regulation 6 provides for the witholding of grant in the event of any loss or suspension of certification.

Regulation 7 provides for the amount and duration of support under these Regulations.

Regulation 9 provides for changes of ownership or occupancy of land to which an agreement under these Regulations refers.

Regulations 10 and 11 set out the powers of persons authorised by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (“the Department”) and the obligations on applicants or agreement-holders to permit entry and inspection by such authorised persons.

Regulations 12 and 13 grant the Department powers to withhold or recover payments and take certain other actions in the event of a breach of an agreement under these Regulations.

Regulation 14 provides for the recovery of interest on sums recovered.

Regulation 15 provides that any amount to be paid to the Department shall be recoverable as a debt.

The Compendium of Organic Standards is published by, and copies are available from, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR