The Welsh assembly is offering farmers who convert to organic production a £1000 one-off payment to help with costs of certification and training.
Elin Jones, Wales minister for rural affairs, told a conference at Builth Wells that the payment would be on the first ha of land entered into the Welsh Organic Farming Scheme.
She also announced a new £200/ha annual payment for organic horticulture to encourage more farmers to grow field vegetables to enhance the local supply of fresh organic produce.
Farmers would also get greater access to the normal arable payment rate using an improved administrative system that could process applications within weeks.
Ms Jones said the significant improvements to the Organic Farming Scheme, which would re-open in November, had been developed in partnership with industry stakeholders.
“Organic farming has a very important role to play in the future of farming in Wales,” the minister told the conference. “We must pursue every opportunity to develop Wales as a source of high quality food, produced in an environmentally sustainable way.
“One of the ways in which we can achieve this is to give our farmers the help and support necessary to help them to convert to organic production.”
The re-vamped Organic Farming Scheme is part of the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 and is funded jointly by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Commission.
Application packs will be available from local divisional offices next month. Farmers who had already submitted an application before processing was suspended will automatically be sent a pack.