Vol. 572 No. 1
102 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the policy with respect to the announcement of extensification dates; the reason the system has changed in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22600/03]
Under the relevant EU Commission regulation, census dates must be distributed throughout the year in such a way as to be rep resentative of the entire year. The regulation also stipulates that census dates must be changed annually and that they cannot be announced until at least two weeks after their passing.
In order to ensure that farmers are made aware of each census date within the earliest possible time after its passing, while at the same time complying with the two weeks' waiting time, I issue a press release immediately after the two-week period has passed. The press release is widely covered in the farming press both in newsprint and on radio.
The changing of the extensification premium systems from 2003 is in line with the Government's commitment to the farming social partners in Sustaining Progress to use the CMMS to the greatest possible extent with the aim of simplifying procedures and facilitating farmers in marketing their product. My Department was also encouraged by the EU Commission to make greater use of the CMMS animal database in determining eligibility for the various livestock premia schemes. The CMMS database will be used to establish stocking densities for 2003 for all farmers who have indicated that they wish to participate in the extensification scheme. The stocking densities will be based on the livestock unit values of the ewes entered for the ewe premium scheme, the forage area of the holding for extensification premium purposes, plus the average number of bovine livestock units on holdings at five census dates according to the CMMS database. These new arrangements eliminate the necessity for the old simplified system and will also eliminate the necessity in the old census system for extensification premium of filling up census forms and lodging them with the Department.
