Defra publish an Organic Action Plan for England
The Organic Research Centre, part of ADAS, welcomes the publication by Defra of the Organic Action Plan for England (OAPE) this week. This presents a significant breakthrough for the organic sector and we congratulate Defra on their leadership.
ORC has supported the development of the plan through its longstanding involvement with the English Organic Forum, and collecting evidence for Defra.
Launched on Wednesday 14 October by Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle, the OAPE sets out measures to grow the domestic market, including advice and support for farmers considering the transition to organic production and more opportunities to sell organic food in the UK. It has been jointly developed and owned by Defra and the English Organic Forum (EOF) which represents numerous food and farming organisations (including ORC) focused on organic growing, manufacturing and retailing. The plan will sit alongside existing Government support and the regulatory framework for organic production.
Principal Researcher at the Organic Research Centre Dr Julia Cooper and other representatives of the organic sector attended a meeting with Farming Minister Angela Eagle at Riverford’s Sacrewell Lodge Farm on 10 June 2026 to discuss the plan.
‘A major milestone’ for the organic sector
It is 20 years since the last plan for the organic sector was published in England so this represents a major milestone. It is a great win for the organic sector, represented by EOF, and has been the product of the hard work of the organic farmers, growers and other organic stakeholders, working alongside Defra.
The new plan reiterates the significant potential of the organic sector to contribute to national nature recovery and animal welfare objectives, as well as the financial benefits organic growth can bring for businesses and the wider economy. It recognises the particular benefits that arise through organic farming avoiding inputs of synthetic pesticides and nitrogen, and taking a whole system approach (avoiding the risks of intensifying inputs in the hope of sparing land elsewhere for nature).
Organic food sales are now worth more than £3.9 billion a year and rising. The plan aims to help English farmers capture a greater share of this growing market, with an ambition to increase the share of agricultural land farmed organically from around 3.4% towards 10% by 2036.
Plan delivery
The OAPE sets out how government and the organic sector will work together to grow domestic organic production, broaden consumer access to organic food, and unlock the benefits that organic farming can deliver, including environmental and economic.
Delivery of this action plan will be assessed against five outcomes:
- A year-on-year closing of the gap between imports and exports of organic goods, including an increase in domestic organic production.
- Ambition to grow the organically managed land area in England year-on-year to 10% across the range of organic sectors (horticulture, arable crops, poultry, red meat and dairy).
- An assessment of the contribution of organic production and consumption to government’s Environment Improvement Plan’s ten goals, and the associated reductions in fertiliser and pesticide use that organic conversion delivers.
- A sustained increase in the share of organic food within public sector purchasing.
- Growth in the knowledge and understanding of organic production among farmers, growers, and consumers.
Themes
The Organic Action Plan for England is structured into three overarching themes:
- Increase and manage organic supply through targeted support for existing and new organic producers and processors
- Realign existing and emerging domestic supply and demand, and increase the proportion of sales met by domestic production
- Increase consumer awareness and stimulate demand from the public sector
Farms such as Shimpling Park Farm in Suffolk are already showing how organic production can work at scale, helping to regenerate soils, cut carbon emissions and encourage wildlife, while supporting neighbouring farms to produce organically and building a profitable farm business.
The Organic Research Centre’s contribution
The Organic Research Centre recently completed a substantial Defra-commissioned research project (RDE707), providing evidence directly relevant to the plan:
Environmental assessment (Report 1): Reviewed organic farming’s contribution to the ten Environmental Improvement Plan goals, finding particularly strong evidence for biodiversity benefits and reduced pesticide exposure, alongside benefits for soil health and water quality.
Financial assessment (Report 2): Examined organic farm economics across arable, horticulture and livestock enterprises, demonstrating that organic farming can be commercially competitive while highlighting the importance of price premiums, business support and market access.
Cost-benefit assessment (Report 3): Modelled the costs of delivering additional biodiversity and water quality improvements, highlighting the importance of recognising the environmental benefits already delivered by organic systems.
For the organic sector, the OAPE represents an important opportunity to secure greater policy recognition, investment and support for growth. However, translating these ambitions into practical support for producers and supply chains will be critical.