Michael Creed
Question:4 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will postpone the 30 June 2000 deadline for the return of dairy health certificates [13763/00]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions - Dairy Health Certificates.
The scheme for the on-farm certification of dairy cows was relaunched in May last year following negotiations with all parties involved and it is now operating reasonably well. While progress in having certification provided was slow to begin with, I am pleased to note that more recently there has been a significant upsurge in activity under the scheme.
The scheme is an important one for the industry as a whole and needs to be completed as quickly as possible. I, therefore, have no proposals for the postponement of the 30 June deadline. I again strongly urge producers to have the necessary certificate completed and submitted to their dairy co-operative as soon as possible.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development raised the matter with ICOS earlier this year and subsequently wrote to the executives dealing with the scheme in each of the co-operatives urging them to use their influence to ensure their suppliers meet the deadline. A press notice was also published in the farming press at the beginning of this month reminding producers of the deadline. In the final analysis, it is primarily a matter for the industry to ensure that this certificate is brought in on time.
The principle of the dairy health certificate is good from a food safety point of view. Does the Minister understand that failure to extend the deadline will criminalise half the dairy farmers in the country and will leave the co-operative movement in a legal limbo, in so far as it should not collect milk from farmers who have not submitted their dairy certificates?
As of yesterday, 15% of Dairygold's suppliers have submitted their dairy health certificate. The reason for that low percentage is a bungling in the Department in terms of responsibility for paying farmers in respect of this scheme. There is a stand-off in the rural community between veterinary practitioners and farmers on this issue because there is no clear indication from the Department as to who should pay. Should it be part and parcel of the herd test? Some vets sign on the round herd test while some insist on calling on a separate day, ask for the herd book and raise matters that have been covered under the dairy hygiene regulations. There is administrative incompetence in the Department in dealing with this issue. It is imperative this deadline is extended.
The Minister of State, Deputy O'Keeffe, should respond to that point as he know all about levels.
The Deputy should refrain from interrupting on a priority question.
The Department, after consultation, with the farming organisations and the veterinary organisations launched the scheme as long ago as May 1997. Since then the farmers and the veterinary association have been endeavouring to progress it. It is very much a matter for the farmers and their veterinary surgeons to ensure certificates are signed. In some co-operatives more than 50% of milk producers have got certification, while in others the figure is as low as 15%. It is greatly in the interests of the dairy producers and their co-operatives to ensure that this certification is up to date. It is not a matter for the Department to become involved in matters that essentially are matters for dairy farmers and their veterinary surgeons. The Department has encouraged, in every possible way, the industry to meet this deadline.
I use this opportunity to say to the industry that we are an internationally competitive industry. The industry needs this certification. I know of one case where a valuable contract was lost because certification was not available. We cannot continue with such a level of dependence on export requirements without meeting the certification requirement because there is a requirement for quality assurance in the food industry. Given that from 1997 to date we have not been able to achieve this requirement, we need to be more serious about ensuring it is met.
I do not accept that the Department and Minister can wash their hands of the stand-off between the veterinary union and practitioners and dairy farmers. I urge the Minister to urgently revisit this issue. With regard to the 30 June deadline, which he said he will not extend, I seek an assurance from him that the co-operatives will be in a position to collect milk from all producers after 30 June, regardless of compliance with this certificate, and that farmers will not be left in a position where milk cannot be collected because of a stand-off between their veterinary practitioners and themselves, which is the primary responsibility of the Minister to resolve.
Milk will be collected from farmers but there will be certain contracts which it will not be possible to meet because of lack of certification. If dairy farmers want to get the best possible price and want to have access to the main markets, it would be prudent for them to get their certification in order. There have been requirements in the milk industry down through the years in relation to hygiene, quality and certification and, by and large, the dairy industry is a model for the remainder of the food industry. I am disappointed more progress has not been made in relation to this essential requirement. There is no great pressure on anybody in this regard. The majority of farmers have good working relationships with their veterinary surgeons and this certification is provided on the day of the annual round test.
It is not provided by many practitioners.
It is important that meeting this requirement is treated as a matter of urgency at this stage.
On a point of order, the Minister made a statement that all veterinary practitioners are issued this certificate on the round herd test. That is not the case. It would be acceptable to most farmers if that was the case. Will he take that matter up with the Irish Veterinary Union?
In relation to this certification and other certifications under the national beef assurance scheme, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has suggested and encouraged farmers and their veterinary surgeons to have this certification and other certifications provided on the day of the annual round test. In more than 50% of cases in some co-operatives this has been done because those farmers have a good relationship with their veterinary surgeons.
The time allocated for this question has been exhausted. We must move on to the next question.