Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd

Today, I am pleased to announce support payments to fully-certified organic farmers in 2024.

I appreciate the immense effort it has taken for organic farmers to build businesses which are both financially and environmentally sustainable. On such farms, the sustainable land management practices employed will undoubtedly have benefitted the local ecology, often in areas vulnerable to biodiversity loss. I also understand, in many circumstances, the viability of organic holdings is dependent on receiving a premium for the organic produce, which is not always available.

The Organic Support Payment will provide support to fully-certified organic farmers during the transition to the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

Applications for the Payment will be made through the Single Application Form, due for submission by the 15 May 2024. The Payment will be available to all fully-certified organic applicants, not only those who were part of the previous Glastir Organic Scheme.

Payment rates, eligibility criteria and guidance on how to claim have been published. The payment rates have been calculated in the context of the difficult financial situation we are currently facing, while targeting support to the sectors where organic farming will make the biggest positive impact on the environment.

I remain committed to our sustainable land management objectives and this Payment demonstrates our support for farms undertaking actions to fulfil these objectives.