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Agriculture Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020

Tuesday, 9 June 2020

Questions (480)

Matt Carthy

Question:

480. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appraisal has been carried out of the outworking of the mandatory reduction obligation contained within the BEAM scheme; if he will remove the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10156/20]

View answer

Written answers

The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132. This aid was granted to provide temporary market adjustment support in response to a specific market disturbance as outlined in Ireland's notification to the EU Commission. As part of the notification and approval process for the measure, the 5% reduction was part of the conditionality sought by the EU.

Approved BEAM participants have given a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the period 01 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 as compared with the period 01 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 as recorded on Department systems. Given that this requirement only begins from July 2020 and is reviewed across the duration of a year, it is not intended to amend this requirement. In addition, it is also relevant that the most recent analysis of Nitrates trends in participating herds indicates that two thirds have already started to make adjustments to reduce their nitrates with almost half the participants meeting the 5% reduction already.

Participants who need advice on how to manage this reduction can contact the Department or consult an agricultural advisor to work out which changes will make most sense on their farm.

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