Organic Matters

This week on Organic Matters, we speak to Sean Ring from Kilkenny about his organic poultry farm. Sean explains the challenges and opportunities facing organic poultry producers and his plans for the future.

This week, Organic Matters speaks to Super Soil, about their Irish Organic Association approved product using microbes to help grow grass and crops. Presenter Hannah Quinn-Mulligan speaks to Jessica from Super Soil about how the product works, how it can be used and what the feedback has been from farmers.

This week, Organic Matters, meets Padraig Shevlin from Plant and Soil Solutions and Leslie Dwyer from FutureAg. Both discuss what their businesses can do in terms of correcting soil fertility and the impact that this can have on crops and livestock.

This week, Organic Matters, speakd to Tim O'Donovan from Seedtech about the growth in demand for organic seeds, particularly oats, and the challenges that Seedtech and organic farmers face in securing organic seeds.

In this bonus episode, Hannah Quinn-Mulligan speaks to Robbie Byrne from Precision Nutrition about how to obtain optimum soil health on farms.

This week, Eamon Wall, discusses the importance of genotyping sheep and why this is particularly important for organic sheep farmers who are less likely to be able to rely on using meal to finish animals.

This week, Organic Matters, looks at what farmers need to know when it comes to growing organic crops or reseeding grassland. We talk to Angela Clarke from the IOA about the requirements for buying organic or non-organic seed and Patrick Cashman, from Goldcrop discusses the varieties they have on offer and growing and sowing advice.

In the first episode of the second season, Hannah Quinn-Mulligan visits the Irish Seed Savers in Co Clare. General Manager Elaine Bradley, explains the important work they're doing, including sending seeds to the Doomsday vault in the Arctic and saving Ireland's heritage apple trees.

Birgitta Hedin-Curtin is the CEO of The Burren Smokehouse. Inspired by her childhood in Sweden she started the smokehouse over 30 years ago and offers organic salmon for sale and export in Ireland and around the world. She speaks to Organic Matters about building the company and her plans for the future.

Paul Holmbeck has worked extensively to champion organic food and farming. He worked for over 25 years as Managing Director of Organic Denmark and is now advising European governments on organic policy. He talks to Organic Matters about what he feels are the key factors to driving organic production.

Noel Barcoe from the Village Dairy talks about working with organic dairy farmers to provide award winning organic milk and cream that is sold nationwide. He also outlines his hopes for the future and where he believes demand for organic produce is going.

This week, Organic Matters travels to the Burren in Co Clare for the annual Farming for Nature and Burren Winterage event. Organic dairy farmer and Farming for Nature overall winnter Seán Condon is interviewed, as is an organic dairy Austrian farmer who talks about the demand for organic milk from Austrian and German markets.

Some €1.5bn has been pledged to the new agri-environmental scheme, called ACRES. There are 35 measures that farmers can take up but organic farmers can only take up 15 measures before losing out on their organic payment due to double funding rules. Presenter Hannah Quinn-Mulligan speaks to two organic farmers about their thoughts on the scheme.

This week, Organic Matters, hears from Californian organic dairy farmers dealing with drought and a farm in Scotland practicing a calf-at-foot system.

John McCormick talks to Organic Matters about starting his own veg business in Helen's Bay over 20 years ago with a small field and donkey. He discusses how he built up his market and passes on some words of wisdom to aspiring growers.

Kathryn Roche, the marketing manager for Irish Country Meats (ICM), speaks to Organic Matters about the opportunities for organic lamb and gives advice to any sheep farmers considering entering organics.

The finances for each sector are looked at in the final of our three-part series on entering organic agriculture. Organic Specialist from Teagasc Joe Kelleher goes lists the financial breakdown for each area of farming including the higher rate of grant payments that will be available in the next Common Agricultural Policy.

We're talking all things to do with sheds, animal housing and organic fertilisers in the second episode of this three-part special series on entering organics. Hear directly from farmers and the Irish Organic Association about tips and advice for converting existing animal housing or building from scratch.

This week, ACA organic specialist Mary Lynch discusses how much organic farmers could potentially get from the next agri-environment or ACRES scheme. She advises farmers to look up the options and speak to their advisors in plenty of time.

Hannah Quinn-Mulligan speaks to a range of Irish Organic Association members and suppliers in the Organic Village at the National Ploughing Championships. Demand is high from consumers with some suppliers selling out of produce on Day One!

In the first of this three-part special podcast series on entering organics, IOA inspector John Seery answers all the questions farmers might want to know when considering organics. From conversion plants to payment rates, John speaks to podcast host Hannah Quinn-Mulligan and lists the basic requirements that each farmer will need in their application. This podcast was brought to you by the Irish...

Byrce Cunningham is a Scottish farmer who faced bankruptcy a number of years ago when the milk price crashed. Faced with selling out or digging deep, Bryce chose the latter and converted the farm to organic and started selling directly to local customers. He started selling just 600 litres a week but now sells over 30,000 litres a week. He tells Hannah Quinn-Mulligan from Organic Matters his extra...

Tillage and livestock farmer Trevor Harris, gives an in-depth view of how ploughing fields should be undertaken and why Holistic Grazing works for him. The Kildare man also discusses his new horticulture venture on the farm.

Sheep and tillage farm Fergal Byrne from Kildare, discusses how farmers need to be on the ball if they're involved in organics. He outlines the benefits that comfrey tea compost have had on his crops and the arrival of organic Christmas turkeys.

Conor Mulhall from the Little Milk Company talks about the opportunity presented by Brexit for organic cheese. He also discusses Biofach, the largest European organic food fair, based in Germany and the opportunities for organic dairy in Ireland.