asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is satisfied with the standard of fillers being imported for animal compound.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Animal Compound.
30.
Apart from veterinary restrictions where applicable, there is no official control on the importation of ingredients for the manufacture of compound feeding stuffs. All compound feeding stuffs sold in this country must, however, comply with the requirements laid down in the regulations made under the Fertilisers, Feeding Stuffs and Mineral Mixtures Act, 1955.
In view of the large amount of smuggled barley, of which there is no account, and of the expected surplus of grain which will be in the stores next harvest, does the Minister agree that it is essential that we use up our own grain before we import any?
I accept that, but I do not know that this matter is related to the question the Deputy asked. The Deputy's question refers to "fillers".
My supplementary is related. The Minister accepts that it is essential at this stage that we use up our own feed before we import any and for that reason I should like to know what he intends doing about the importing of low energy meals such as the olive meal or the coconut shell? They are low energy meals and we have feeding stuffs of higher quality available from our own stock. Does the Minister not accept that it is essential that we use our own stock before we import any meal? What does the Minister intend doing about that?
I accept that, but the farmer buying feeding stuffs should be aware of the need to determine the carbohydrate and protein content of the feeding stuffs he purchases.
The farmer has no say because it often happens that he buys what is available on the market. The Minister and the Department have a say about what is imported.
There is no obligation on producers to purchase anything offered to them.
But if there is nothing else available what does the farmer do?
As the Deputy has stated, there is an adequate supply of barley available.
Would the Minister agree that information as to the carbohydrate and protein content is not always sufficient and for this reason would he consider the introduction of a regulation under section 2 of the Act to provide that compounders selling compound feed to farmers must state the specific ingredient contained in the compound?
I am not aware that the problem is of enormous gravity. If I became aware that there was some malpractice in this area I would consider what the Deputy has suggested.
Would the Minister not agree that some of these commodities which may be of equivalent protein value may not be of equivalent digestibility? Would the Minister agree that if farmers knew what they were buying in these compounds they might be able to make a decision for themselves?
We are moving far away from the original question.
The protein additives in compound feeding stuffs are very well known substances such as soya bean oil, soya bean meal and cotton seed meal which have a well recognised protein content. There is no mystery about that at all.
We are not speaking about those ingredients.
This originated from the Deputy's question about fillers.
We are speaking about the other ones. What about the tapioca?
Tapioca is not referred to in the question but it is a high energy ingredient.
It is a filler and so is the coconut.
They are roughage things.
They are poor quality feeding and the Minister knows that.
In some cases they are not feeding at all.