PRESS RELEASE

06/05/08

Diversifying into organic horticulture

Farmers who are interested in growing fruit and vegetables on their farms can now benefit from a new technical guide produced by Organic Centre Wales with financial support from Farming Connect and Triodos Bank. The guide, which has been produced at a time of unprecedented demand for organic horticultural produce, is aimed at farmers who have little experience of growing vegetables and covers field vegetables, protected cropping and top and soft fruit.

"There are commercial opportunities and an environmental opportunity to expand horticultural production in Wales. This guide provides practical help for farmers interested in taking advantage of it. We urge them to read it," said Ian Price, Relationship Manager for Organic Agriculture, Triodos Bank.

“Organic mixed farming systems have an important role to play in filling the huge gap in demand,” added Tony Little, Advisory Officer at Organic Centre Wales and one of the Guide’s authors. “This guide is one of a number of activities we are undertaking in partnership with other organisations to boost the production of organic fruit and vegetables in Wales. We are also organising a series of producer events across Wales and developing online training courses with Horticulture Network Wales.”

The Guide will be launched on 15 May at an event for farmers at Peepout Farm, Haverfordwest, as part of the Farming Connect Organic Development Programme. The afternoon will be hosted by Romeo Sarra, who has been growing organically since 1990, with arable, potatoes and a wide range of vegetable crops. Studies by Organic Centre Wales and the Centre for Alternative Land Use (CALU) have found that there is potential to expand horticultural production significantly in Wales. In addition, the new Organic Farming Scheme provides specific support for organic horticulture for the first time (£200/ha/year) and changes in CAP rules mean that farmers will no longer lose the SPS entitlement on land down to horticultural crops. However, access to capital, land, labour and machinery are a problem for many.

The Guide introduces the principles of horticultural production including soil fertility, pest and weed control, machinery and equipment, varieties, harvesting and storing, and energy and greenhouse gas emissions. A financial section assesses the impact of introducing field vegetables into an existing beef and sheep system on a typical 100 ha family farm.

Ends

Further information:

Tony Little, Organic Centre Wales, Aberystwyth University, Tel. 01970 622248, e-mail jll@aber.ac.uk

Notes for the editor

1. ‘A farmer’s guide to organic fruit and vegetable production’ will be available to download from www.organic.aber.ac.uk from 15 May 2008 or you can request a copy (free of charge) from Organic Centre Wales.

2. Organic Centre Wales is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government to provide information on organic food and farming to producers, food businesses, consumers and others. It is based at Aberystwyth University and run by a partnership consisting of the ADAS, the Organic Research Centre Elm Farm, and the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University.

3. The Organic Conversion Information Service (01970 622100) is funded by WAG to provide information to producers considering conversion – an information pack and up to two free on-farm visits are available.

4. Triodos Bank is one of Europe’s leading ethical banks. See www.triodos.co.uk. 

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