Farming minister George Eustice has confirmed that support for organic agriculture will continue into 2018.

At a meeting on Tuesday with members of the English Organic Forum, made up of certifiers and trade groups, Eustice confirmed that existing organic farmers and growers who’s Organic Entry Level schemes are coming to an end, and new farmers who want to convert to organic, will be able to apply for support under the Countryside Stewardship scheme for the next two years. 
 
The Farming Minister confirmed that the application process for farmers will open later in 2017 and again in 2018. These agreements last for 5 years, and the Forum said the confirmation provides some welcome stability in the face of major risks and uncertainties faced by farmers as the UK prepares to leave the EU.
 
Peter Melchett,  Policy Director at the Soil Association, who took part in the meeting, commented, “The confirmation that applications for organic payments will open this year and next will come as a welcome news to consumers and farmers alike. The demand for organic food is growing strongly in the UK, and is currently outstripping home-grown supply. Export markets for British organic produce present a further opportunity for British farmers to prosper, if the right Government policies are in place.”
 
The current government’s food and farming policy has focused on exporting high value goods overseas, which has attracted criticism from sustainable farm groups and food policy experts who want to see more attention paid to securing environmental and social benefits from the food system post-Brexit.

Even so, the Soil Association Policy Director noted that the US has the largest organic market in the world with 43% of global sales. This market grew by 11% in 2015 – far exceeding the 3% growth rate of the US non-organic food market. The US organic market has enjoyed years of steady growth largely unaffected by the recession, up from $17 million in 2006 to over $40 billion today.