Vol. 442 No. 5
10 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if somatic cell count can be officially sampled at processing level rather than at farm level as the present proposal will cost Irish farmers millions of pounds and put many small farmers out of business.
Directive 92/46/EEC provides that a producer's milk must be checked for somatic cell county by random sampling either on collection at the farm or on acceptance at the treatment or processing establishment. The point at which the sampling takes place, therefore, will obviously depend on whether the producer delivers the milk to the processor or the processor collects it from the farm.
I understand we are operating the new EU dairy hygiene regulations somewhat differently from the British authorities. I accept the need for the stricts hugiene regulations and fully support the Minister's effort in that regard. Given the need for a level playing field, particularly in respect of competitiveness, will the Minister explain why the EU directive is being interpreted differently here? It is understood there will be farm level testing here while in the UK it will be at processing level. What is the thinking behind our different interpretation of the EU directive and will it put our farmers at a competitive disadvantage compared with UK dairy farmers?
The Deputy is correct in saying the UK has a different interpretation of the EU directive. In the UK samples are taken from bulk tanks when they arrive at processing plants. At that stage the sample is diluted and farmers have a better chance of passing the required test. Our interpretation of the directive is that the milk supply of individual farmers should be tested. We understand the European Commission requires all members states to have individual farmers' milk supply tested. It is extremely important we maintain our high standard because we cannot market dairy products to the highest standard unless we meet the exacting requirements at farm level.
Regarding the change the Minister suggested the EU is likely to adopt, I understand it is only considering an amendment to the directive at present and that it will be some time before it will come into effect. Our interpretation of the directive is at variance with that in other countries. That must be the case if the EU intends to introduce an amendment to change the directive to meet the requirement of individual farmer testing at farm level. Is there a danger that testing this year will have no statutory effect, that there will be no mandatory EU legal basis for individual sampling and that farmers could reject arrangements adopted and implemented because of a different interpretation in advance of an amendment to the directive?
The information we have received from contacts in the Commission is that we are implementing the correct interpretation of the directive and the Commission will insist that interpretation be applied throughout the Community. We have made a formal request to the Commission to make an allowance for the seasonality of our milk supply and we understand we will be allowed a concession in that regard, which will be helpful.
