Vol. 362 No. 1
asked the Minister for Agriculture in view of the huge increase in the export of hay and other fodder to Northern Ireland, despite the claims of a severe fodder crisis, the measures, if any, his Department are taking to ensure that there is no profiteering by farmers who have excess fodder supplies.
27.
asked the Minister for Agriculture in view of the huge increase in the export of hay and other fodder to Northern Ireland, the measures his Department are taking to ensure that those involved in these exports do not benefit, either directly or indirectly, from the schemes introduced to assist farmers hit by this summer's bad weather.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together. The schemes which I have introduced to alleviate the problems caused by adverse weather conditions this year are designed to assist those farmers whose fodder situation has been most seriously affected. Only farmers who have less than 75 per cent of their livestock feed requirements qualify for aid under these schemes. Also, the schemes are restricted to those farmers whose main occupation is farming, who have not more than 60 livestock units and who have limited off-farm income. Applications for aid are assessed by the local officers of the farm development service of my Department and they have been instructed to ensure that farmers who sold off fodder do not abuse the schemes. With regard to farmers who have excess supplies of fodder, the only action open to my Department is to exclude such farmers from assistance under the fodder aid schemes, and that is being done.
