Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
917. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a derogation will be provided to farmers who cannot meet the 5% reduction in stock condition for the BEAM scheme due to market fluctuation and the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4405/21]
View answerThe Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) provided 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. BEAM was funded by a combination of EU aid and Exchequer support. It was provided to support Irish beef farmers who saw beef prices fall in light of market disturbance.
One of the conditions under which the €50 million was granted by the EU was that there had to be an element of reduction or re-structuring built in to the scheme. Accordingly, in applying for BEAM, participants agreed to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on their holding by 5% for the period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021 as compared with the period 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019.
It will not be possible to remove the reduction requirement because the exceptional aid was granted to Ireland on the basis of this reduction being implemented. However, the Department has engaged with the EU Commission regarding possible flexibility around the deadline for meeting the 5% reduction and a response is awaited.
My Department continues to assist farmers in managing their commitments under the Scheme. Further initiatives involving revised data for the first six months of the reduction period and a scheme specific calculator that will allow farmers predict what effect proposed changes on their farm will have are to be rolled out in the coming weeks. My officials have also been liaising with agricultural advisors in relation to their engagement with their clients to continue to inform and assist them around the requirements of the scheme.
