2662. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans to provide supports, including capital funding, for the development of an organic feed mill. [60432/26]

The National Organic Strategy, published in 2024, sets out a clear vision for the development of the organic sector in Ireland. The plan sets six strategic priorities and 51 actions that span the full value chain, from farming and food production through to trade customers and consumers, aimed at driving significant growth in the value of organic farming and food production. The Strategy has identified strong potential to grow organic tillage, for food but also to be used for animal feed to supply the organic livestock sector, which continues to grow, driven by consumer demand.

My department, working with Teagasc, has analysed the demand for an organic feed mill capable of creating pelleted feed. Teagasc is currently completing an extensive research report on this issue and this will inform the potential demand for such a development and to inform options to achieve this.

The Organic Processing and Investment Grant (OPIG) administered by my Department is a well-established scheme that assists operators in developing organic processing capabilities, and consideration could be given in future tranches to support the development of an organic feed mill.