asked the Minister for Agriculture the steps he is taking to advance more than the £15 already approved for farmers in the fodder crisis areas.
37.
Written Answers. - Fodder Crisis.
25.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the steps he is taking to establish a disaster fund to aid farmers in the fodder crisis areas who are not covered by the £15 scheme.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 37 together.
I acted quickly last month to get £4 million in advance headage payments of £15 per cow to the 44,500 beef cow farmers in the disadvantaged areas who were worst affected by the fodder crisis.
Reports from my Department's field staff indicate that other farmers in these areas are not so severely affected and that the position has been improving considerably in the last few weeks for all farmers.
I might add that in the case of sheep, advances of ewe premium totalling £7.2 million and amounting to £4.90 per ewe have already been paid to flockowners in the disadvantaged areas. In addition I have made arrangements to bring forward the payment of the balance of ewe premium (amounting to £11.84 per ewe) commencing next month and extending into July. Flockowners outside the disadvantaged areas will be paid the full premium of £16.74 per ewe at the same time. These payments will amount to about £30 million.