asked the Minister for Agriculture when he expects to announce a decision on the re-organisation of milk recording arising out of the final report of the study group.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Milk Recording.
24.
Preliminary steps towards the reorganisation of the milk recording service have already been taken in that the pilot schemes in the Bandon and Cork areas, which proved very successful, are being continued and it is expected that similar developments will be extended this year to other areas.
I hope to be able to announce at an early date arrangements for the reorganisation of the service on a national basis, in co-operation with the dairying, co-operative and other interests concerned.
I note what the Minister says and am pleased that Cork is doing very well in this area. Could the Minister give some indication to the House as to the percentage of herds presently involved in milk recording and what positive steps he proposes to take? It is a matter of extreme urgency to increase the percentage.
We are anxious to have the national scheme organised at an early date and every possible effort is being made to ensure that that happens. My Department have organised and set up a committee in order that a new independent co-operative could be registered to organise this. As far as the percentage of farmers who are included in the present scheme are concerned, about 205 herds are involved with 11,000 cows in the Bandon area, and 76 herds with 4,500 cows in the Cork district. Obviously, the success of the scheme and its operation through the rest of the country is important and there will be no delay on the part of the Department, the co-operative interests and the farming interests in getting it going.
Finally, am I correct that on a national basis the percentage involved in milk recording is only 3 or 4 per cent? Secondly, may I put it to the Minister that the fees involved, to be charged to the farmers, should be kept as reasonable as possible. Steps which were taken two years ago by the present Government in doubling the charges should not be a precedent for the future.
The study group set up to examine the possibility of having a milk recording service recommended that the State, co-operative interests and the farming interests would all have a part to play in the scheme. The Department carries the headquarters service. The co-operative carries the laboratory and analysis service and the farmers themselves the actual field recording costs. This has been agreed on by all concerned and it is a most acceptable way to organise the scheme. It would not be in the farming interest at the moment to introduce further negotiations as to how the scheme should be organised. This has already been agreed and we are anxious to get the scheme going as quickly as possible.