Under EU regulations applicable in 1993, 1994 and 1995, producers holding suckler cow quota rights had to make use of at least 50 per cent of those rights in any one of two consecutive years. Otherwise the part not used during the second year reverted to the national reserve where it became available for distribution to priority categories of producer identified by the Quota Review Group under the 1995 and 1996 national reserves. Use in this context included making application for premium payments in respect of those rights or leasing out the rights or a portion of the rights.
In 1996, the EU regulations required that holders of suckler cow quota greater than 7 use at least 70 per cent of that quota every year. Farmers with quotas of 7 or less had to use at least 70 per cent in any one of two consecutive years. Otherwise the part not used reverted to the national reserve where it will become available for distribution to priority categories of producer identified by the Suckler Cow Quota Review Group under the 1997 national reserve. Distribution of quota rights from the 1997 national reserve is currently under way. The exception to these rules were farmers who joined the farm retirement scheme or famers who could demonstrate that they could not make the required use of their quotas because of exceptional circumstances.