asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries what young cattle will be exempt from the EEC requirement of a brucellosis test prior to export to other EEC countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Brucellosis Eradication.
30.
In accordance with the terms of the EEC Directive on Intra-Comunity Trade in Cattle and Pigs, the following animals may be admitted to member countries without a pre-export brucellosis test:
1. animals of any age from a brucellosis-free herd for immediate slaughter;
2. animals under 12 months of age for breeding or profit from a herd "officially" free from brucellosis or, under derogation from the consignee country, animals from brucellosis free herds.
Under the Treaty of Accession, castrates of any age will be admitted to Britain and Northern Ireland without a pre-export brucellosis test.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary tell me how many countries are actually enforcing these regulations on imports?
I have no information at present about any of the countries enforcing them.
Is it not the case that many of the countries are not enforcing these regulations at all? Would the Parliamentary Secretary be able to make information available as to the extent they are being enforced so that the cattle trade will know precisely what the position will be this time next year?
If the Deputy puts down a question seeking that information I will do my best to make it available.
31.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the action being taken to curb the spread of brucellosis in the non-clearance areas by the sale in the open market of affected animals.
My Department have over the past two years carried out twice yearly bulk milk ring tests at creameries and other milk collecting centres outside the brucellosis eradication area. Certificates have been issued in respect of herds which were clear to two successive milk tests and efforts have been made to encourage marts to organise sales confined to animals from these herds.
A statutory prohibition on the admission to public sales of animals affected with the disease would involve the testing of all eligible animals and the identification of reactors, and would not be practicable pending the extension of the eradication scheme to the present non-clearance areas.
Has the Minister or the Parliamentary secretary considered the possibility that farmers who have applied the test and who find they have reactors could be encouraged to sell these animals direct to a factory for immediate slaughter rather than, as they sometimes do at the moment, sell them in a mart? This could be done by giving an extra grant in addition to the slaughter price which they would get at the factory. This would encourage them to send the reactors to the factories rather than sell them on the open market as if they were not reactors.
We are at present considering introducing a voluntary scheme which would be a help in this direction. We are having discussions with the farming organisations on this matter at present.
32.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the criteria used in settling, at any given time, the maximum price which may be paid for brucellosis and tuberculosis reactors.
The guideline used is the trend in average market values for top class attested animals.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that cows are selling at up to £250 and that the maximum which the Department's valuers are allowed to pay is £170? Quite clearly these criteria are not applying and the prices are falling behind. This is particularly hard on small herd-owners because they do not have big herds where an exceptionally valuable animal can be compensated for by an unduly high price.
The price of reactors has been increased considerably over the past three years. In 1970 the maximum price was £120; in 1971, £140; and in 1972, £170. I would like to point out that the vast majority of animals purchased by the Department come well below the maximum limits. I am aware that there are isolated cases which are causing hardship.
Would the Minister consider it possible to raise the maximum? This would not involve the Department in very high expense. As the Parliamentary Secretary says, the vast majority come well below the maximum, anyway. In the interests of avoiding hardship it would be no harm to raise the maximum considerably.
There is no need to increase the maximum at present. There obviously is some confusion. The prices are market value and not replacement value, as they are often expected to be. We are paying market value.
Not for dairy cows.
We cannot argue on this question all evening. I am calling Question No. 33.