Under EU Regulations a special reserve of 63,400 rights was set up to cater for farmers who (a) were allocated milk quotas of less than 12,819 gallons at 1 April 1992 and who applied in 1992 for suckler cow premium but were limited by the ten cow maximum rule and (b) farmers who were allocated milk quotas of less than 25,638 gallons on 1 April 1993 and who did not apply for suckler cow premium in 1992.
Applications for quota from the reserve will be processed in the near future. It is estimated that an unused balance of about 40,000 will be available and as required by EU Regulation, the balance will be transferred to the national reserve.
I have recently announced the priority categories to whom quota from the national reserve will be distributed. Small scale dairy producers referred to at (a) and (b) above are being given a very high priority in the allocation of this reserve.