Organic farmers seek return to conventional methods
New research today suggests that British farmers are turning away from producing organic food.
Four years ago around 250 farmers a month were applying for organic status, whereas now this number has fallen to about 40 a month. Dairy farmers in particular are showing no interest in converting.
The suggestion of a crisis of confidence in the long term financial viability of organic farming has come from the BBC’s Farming Today programme, which claims that a significant number of farmers intend on returning to conventional farming when their five years is up.
Government funding rules state that an organic farm must remain organic for five years, or it is obliged to pay back its subsidy.
Farmers claim that they can not compete financially with the lower cost imports of organic food, and that neither the supermarkets or Government is giving them sufficient support.
The news will come as blow to the Government which has enthusiastically supported organic farming. Ironically, consumer demand for organic food continues to increase.
