Vol. 464 No. 2
14 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the proposal by the Irish Cattle Traders Stockholders Association regarding a beef cattle premium being paid on a forage acreage basis to those farmers who do not produce their own calves: and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7833/96]
There are a number of difficulties associated with the proposal for a forage acreage system for livestock producers who do not produce their own calves. It is not possible to mix an acreage related system for drystock producers and a livestock premium system for male cattle for other beef producers in the same member state without effectively increasing the national quota. Under such an arrangement some of the male cattle which are reared on the farms of drystock producers would have already claimed one or both premiums on farms of suckler cow or milk producers; therefore, mixing the livestock premium system with an area-related premium would mean that some of the male cattle reared on the holdings of drystock producers would benefit both from the special beef premium and the area aid payment. Such an outcome would be equivalent to an increase in the quota for the special beef premium and this would not be acceptable either to the EU Commission or other member states. Apart from this, an area-related payment system would discriminate against owners of good quality land.
I should also point out that this proposal would involve the renegotiation of the 1992 CAP Reform Package which was exceptionally advantageous to Irish producers generally and I would be reluctant to initiate any renegotiation of that package in view of the possible losses to Irish producers and the Irish economy which would result from a review of the premium arrangements. However, in the context of any such renegotiation, I will seek to ensure that the premium system works to the advantage of all producers to the maximum extent possible.
