Northern Irish Farmer benefits from a switch to organic conversion

John Carson
John Carson

Awareness for organic is changing as more people take an interest in where their food comes from and how it is produced. Sales of organic food are on the up – the 2015 Organic Market report showed sales of organic products increased by 4% in 2014 and Soil Association organically certified licensees reported an even greater increase in sales of 7.7%.

County Down farmer and member of the Soil Association Farmer and Grower Board, John Carson, reflects on the opportunities organic farming offers Northern Ireland’s farmers, “My family has been farming at Ballyrenan Farm near Downpatrick for nearly 60 years. In 2005, when my son Jonathan returned from college, we decided to go organic. We made the transition to organic arable farming and diversified into organic sheep and suckler cows, which are all finished on the farm with home-grown organic feed. Our key focus has been on using clover-rich swards; developing new grazing systems and exploring the use of new technology to increase productivity. The transition hasn’t been all plain sailing, but the benefits for both farmers and consumers definitely outweigh the challenges. I believe there are clear business benefits of organic farming that we all have a chance to harness.”

Debunking the myth that organic returns a lower yield than non-organic

A study published by the University of California, Berkley last year, found a lower than expected yield gap between organic and non-organic systems when comparing the different ways of farming. 115 different studies were compared and the results found that some practices could further shrink the productivity gap between organic crops and conventional farming. The study highlighted the practice of multi-cropping and crop rotation, which would substantially reduce the organic-to-conventional yield gap to 9% and 8% respectively.

Converting to organic

Converting to organic production is a major decision for any farmer or grower and it may involve changes to farm structure, management and finance. Northern Irish farmer John Carson reflects on the switch and his experience of working with the Soil Association, “as a Soil Association licensee, I know the necessary advice and support is available from my certification officer and the Producer Support team who have the skills and practical experience to really benefit us and the farm. My work with the Soil Association’s Farmer & Grower board also gives me an added comfort that I can act as a spokesperson for farmers in Northern Ireland, making sure our problems are raised at the decision maker level across the UK”

With increasing consumer confidence in organic, the market in strong growth and more research and development, it’s a positive time to go organic. Find out more about the business potential for organic farming by speaking to the Soil Association GoOrganic team today on 0117 914 2406 or email goorganic@soilassociation.org or look on our website www.sacert.org/organicfarming