Vol. 458 No. 4
8 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason for the difference in the definition of a cow arising from the fact that his Department defines the term for suckler cow premium purposes as an animal that has calved at least once in her life and for the purpose of headage as an animal either in calf or with a calf at foot; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14836/95]
It is the EU that defines a cow for the purposes of the EU suckler cow premium schemes. Council Regulation EEC 2066/92 defines such an animal, as "a cow belonging to meat breed or born of a cross with a meat breed, and belonging to a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production"— a definition which makes obvious the fact that the cow must have calved at least once in her lifetime, in other words that she is not a heifer.
Under the disadvantaged areas schemes, however, my Department has the freedom to define a beef cow for grant payment purposes as there is no prescribed EU definition of a cow under those schemes and as each member state part-finances the schemes.
For the purposes of the cattle headage and beef cow headage schemes, therefore, cows in beef herds are regarded as beef type suckler cows if they are (a) of a suitable type and standard, (b) in milk and (c) accompanied by a calf of a beef breed, or, if not in milk and not accompanied by a calf, are in-calf to a beef bull and due to calve by 31 December in year of application. In such herds, in-calf beef type heifers of suitable type and standard, bred to a beef bull may also be regarded as beef type suckler cows for payment purposes if they calve by 31 December.
And the Minister wonders why farmers cannot fill a form.
However, in mixed enterprise herds an animal will only be regarded as a beef type suckler cow if it is of a suitable type and standard and suckling a calf of a beef breed at application date and at inspection.
Of course, the fact that certain in-calf heifers which calve by the end of the calendar year are paid headage grants equivalent to those paid on cows does not mean that those animals are defined as cows by my Department at the application date — they are simply heifers which become cows by the end of the year.
I thank the Minister for that very clear and lucid answer. The Minister has introduced a charter of farmers' rights but does he consider it discriminatory that one type of cow is worth £20 and another type of cow is only worth £10 in premium payments?
My understanding of the problem in layman's language is that in-calf heifers are acceptable under the schemes as replacements, should an eligible cow die, but they are not acceptable on the original application form. This difficulty has existed since the scheme began in 1991-92. This EU rule has been reviewed before unsuccessfully and my officials do not hold out much hope of it being changed but certainly I can discuss it with DGVI if necessary.
Some of the difficulties which the Minister outlined in a description of the suckler cow scheme will arise in a situation where a small dairy farm enterprise is run side by side with a suckled cow enterprise. Some considerable difficulties have arisen with identification during inspections. Are there guidelines available for individual farmers who run a twin enterprise?
Yes, my Department will be happy to advise anyone in that regard. In disadvantaged areas there is greater flexibility as indicated in the reply. In order to avoid confusion among farmers I could seek to have the same definition under the disadvantaged area schemes and the advantaged area schemes and I will pursue that.
The Minister may not have the information in his brief but does he have guidelines for the operation of the twin enterprise and the availability of animals for inspection for suckled cow premium payment purposes?
The reason that cows in mixed enterprise herds for whom the farmer has submitted an application for suckling cow grant aid under the disadvantaged area scheme must be seen is that it is the only way of knowing in August or September, which is the inspection period, whether a cow in a herd which calved earlier in the year is a dairy cow or a beef cow; if the former she would have a calf at foot and if the latter she would not have a calf at foot.
We need to look at the guidelines for the operation of twin enterprises. I appeal to the Minister to look at them and ascertain from the inspectors throughout the country the day-to-day problems that have arisen during inspection. A number of farmers with very small dairy enterprises side by side with suckler cow enterprises run into serious difficulties in those circumstances. In many cases they have been deprived of payment.
If the Deputy wishes to bring cases of difficulty to my attention I will be happy to pursue them.
