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Cork woman among Europe’s best organic farmers
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An Irish farmer has reached the final three for a major award recognising best practice in organics across Europe.
Kay O’Sullivan from Mourneabbey in County Cork was shortlisted in the best organic farmer (female) category at the European Organic Awards. The winner will be announced at the European Organic Awards on Wednesday, 23 September, in Brussels, hosted by the EU Commission and presented by Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen.
The EU Organic Awards are organised by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe.
The categories for the awards are:
- Best Organic Farmer Female
- Best Organic Farmer Male
- Best organic region/bio-district
- Best organic city
- Best organic food processing SME
- Best organic food retailer
- Best organic restaurant/food service
Commenting on the event, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD said:
“I and my Department wish Kay the very best of luck in the European Organic Awards. Kay’s nomination for this award is wonderful recognition of her fantastic achievements in organic beef and sheep farming, and the expertise that she has developed over 15 years in County Cork.”
Minister Heydon continued:
“It is also an acknowledgement of the strides that we have made in Ireland in promoting women in agriculture, and it is especially positive that this is happening in the Year of the Woman Farmer. Since 2023 we are seeing proportionately more women farmers gravitating to organics as a career choice.”
Kay operates a highly efficient suckler to beef and sheep organic farm in North Cork. Kay shows how organic farms can be productive, while delivering for the environment. The EU Organic Awards is not Kay’s first time being recognised having won the Organic Production category of the Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards in 2025.
Following the EU Awards, Irish attention will shift to the upcoming National Organic Awards, hosted by Bord Bia, which will be presented to winners at an event in Dublin on Thursday, 24 September. Launched by Minister Heydon at Bloom in May, the Award Categories are:
- Best Irish Organic Brand Award
- Best Irish Organic Farmer Award (Male and Female)
- Best Irish Organic Retailer Award
- Best Irish Organic Exporter Award
- Best New & Innovative Irish Organic Product Award
- Best Irish Organic Foodservice & Impact Initiative Award
The National Organic Awards are organised by Bord Bia with support from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine.
Notes
While organic farming has been practiced in Ireland since the mid-1990s, by 2020 organic farming still only used 1.6% of Utilisable Agricultural Area (UAA).
In 2020, the European Green Deal, set a target of at least 25% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area (UAA) to be in organic production by 2030, and following this, in 2021 the Irish Government set an ambitious target of 10% of UAA in agricultural production under Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.
In 2023, changes to the terms of the flagship Organic Farming Scheme under Cap Strategic Plan were introduced designed to improve the scheme and address issues that may have been preventing farmer participation in the past.
In 2022, the Organic Industry forum was established to engage with stakeholders and work towards growing organics. Under CSP 2023-2027 a range of supports were offered to farmers and processors and the National Organic Strategy was published, with ambitious targets set for UAA and for output.
Between 2023 and 2026 significant investment has been made by Government and we are seeing the benefits of this flow through with a rapid increase in the number of farmers in the Organic Farming Scheme, and the amount of land in Organic Production, growing from 2.2% to 5.6%.
In 2026 there are now 5,650 farms either organic or in conversion, an increase of 223% on 2022.
This increase in production is being mirrored in consumption. In recent years Irish consumers have become more aware of the role that organic food can play in ensuring a healthy lifestyle and a healthy family.
Consumers are also becoming more aware of the benefits of organic farming brings to the environment through enhanced biodiversity, better water quality and lower carbon emissions. People are also conscious of the extensive animal welfare benefits of organic farming, and this plays a bigger role in purchase decisions.
As organics have grown in Europe, over recent years Irish consumers have also grown accustomed to seeing the EU Organic mark, or the green leaf, bringing corresponding higher levels of awareness and trust.
Irish food processors and retailers are responding to this awareness and demand, with higher levels of Irish produced and a wider range of processed organic foods coming to market.
We are now seeing a corresponding growth in demand, with retail sales of organics in Ireland growing in 2025 at 12.5%, twice the level of the wider food and drink market. Additionally, Ireland has ambitions to grow the level of organic food in public procurement.
While organics is still a small percentage of the total food output and consumption, the strong levels of growth across the EU, as well as in large markets such as the US, Canada and Japan, show the continued potential for organic production to grow into the future.