Vol. 476 No. 2
257 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the imminent threat of an additional penalty on milk producers arising out of their butterfat quota and the uncertainty this is creating for milk producers at present; and if he will seek a modification of the regulation to allow the use of the past year's butterfat in the current year. [6902/97]
The revised estimated average butterfat content of milk deliveries at the end of January 1997 is on a par with the national butterfat reference level, which, when calculated over the same period, stands at 35.850 grams/kg. Therefore, careful management of the butterfat situation by products which have already exceeded their deliveries and butterfat quota between now and the end of March is necessary in order to avoid exceeding this reference level. Teagasc or co-operative personnel should be consulted for specialist advice in this regard. The suggested modification to the regulation has been ruled out by the EU Commission.
