asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that a certain amount of confusion exists in the farming community regarding headage payment schemes, and the beef cow and suckler cow schemes; and if he will outline the number of schemes a farmer can take part in with reference to his geographical location and the maximum amount of finance a farmer can draw from any one scheme or a combination of schemes should he qualify for more than one.
Written Answers . - Headage Payment Schemes .
412.
: Details of all these schemes have been extensively publicised and advertised in the press and on RTE.
Farmers in the disadvantaged areas are eligible for either the EEC cattle headage scheme or the beef cow scheme depending on the location of their farms. They are also eligible for the EEC sheep headage scheme for hogget ewes and mountain lambs. Farmers outside the disadvantaged areas are eligible for the national hogget ewe subsidy.
In addition, farmers in all parts of the country are eligible for premiums under the two recently announced EEC schemes for suckler cows and ewes.
Following are details of the various schemes:
1. EEC Cattle Headage Payments Scheme
This scheme applies only in areas designated as severely handicapped under EEC Directive 75/268. Subject to clearance by the EEC Commission, payment for 1980 will be at the rate of £32 per live stock unit for the first 8 units and £28 for the next 22 units. The maximum payable is £872 but this may be affected by the forage area of the farm.
2. EEC Beef Cow Scheme
This scheme applies only in areas designated under EEC Directive 75/268 as disadvantaged but not in areas designated as severely handicapped. Subject to clearance by the EEC Commission payment for 1980 will be at the rate of £32 per cow for the first 10 cows and £28 for the next 18 cows. The maximum payable is £824 but this may be affected by the forage area of the farm.
3. EEC Scheme of Headage Payments on Hogget Ewes and Mountain Lambs
This scheme applies only in areas designated as disadvantaged under EEC Directive 75/268. Subject to clearance by the EEC Commission, grants of £5, £4 and £4.50 respectively will be payable for 1980 on each mountain hogget, mountain lamb and lowland hogget. There is no specified maximum number of grants, but the total amount payable may be affected by the forage area of the farm.
4. Scheme of Headage Payments on Hogget Ewes
This scheme applies only in those areas not designated as disadvantaged. The grant for 1980 is £3 per hogget. There is no specified maximum number of grants but the total amount payable may be affected by the forage area of the farm.
5. Scheme of Premiums for maintaining Suckler Cows
Under Council Regulation (EEC) 1357/80 an EEC premium of £13.18 will be paid for 1980 on each suckler cow of a specified meat producing breed. The scheme is open to all owners of suckler herds and there is no limitation on the number of eligible cows. Subject to clearance by the EEC Commission, an additional national premium of £12 will be paid on each cow over and above the number present in the herd at the 1979/80 round test for tuberculosis.
6. Scheme of Premiums for Good Quality Ewes
Under Council Regulation (EEC) 1837/80 compensatory premiums will be payable with effect from 20 October 1980 on good quality breeding ewes. It has been estimated that a premium of about £3.50 per ewe will apply during the period 20 October 1980 to 5 April 1981 but this rate may have to be altered up or down depending on actual market prices. Full particulars of the scheme will be given in press advertisements next week.