This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding of organic aid scheme applications
13/03/2003
Farmers and crofters keen to convert to organic production in Scotland will benefit from payments totalling £2 million under the Organic Aid Scheme from next year, it was announced today.
Minister for Environment and Rural Development Ross Finnie said:
"This funding illustrates the Executive's commitment to the development of a prosperous and sustainable organic sector in Scotland.
"We are already planning for the future, and went out to consultation this week on changes to the agri-environment schemes in Scotland with a view to seeing what further can be achieved through financial assistance to promote organics in Scotland."
The Organic Aid Scheme was introduced in 1994 and provides payments over a five year period to encourage farmers to convert their enterprise to organic production methods.
The 2002 awards will enable farmers and crofters to convert 2462.19 hectares of land eligible under the Arable Aid Payments Scheme, 2103.42 hectares of improved grassland and 3806.91 of rough grazing totalling 8372.52 hectares of land for the benefit of the environment and enhance the organic cause.
Awards are funded from modulation of a proportion of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies (3% this year) and Treasury match-funding, thus doubling the value of modulation to the farming industry.
Sixty-four applications with a total value of £2.4m were submitted this year. Awards are made in respect of those applications which deliver the best environmental gain, marketing vision and value for money, scoring 40 points or more in the ranking system that was introduced for the first time in 2002.
The 54 applications being offered approval this year are funded for five years. This represents 84 per cent entry acceptance.
This release was published on 14/03/2003