Written Answers. - Grant Payments. – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil) – Tuesday, 3 Jul 2001

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Johnny Brady

Ceist:

224 Mr. J. Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the levels of premiums, including extensification, payable in 2001 to a beef farmer finishing 20 store bullocks to beef and who is also participating in the REP scheme; the way in which this compares with 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20220/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The level of premiums, including extensification, payable to a farmer finishing 20 store bullocks to beef in 2001 depends on the age of the animals, on whether they have already drawn none, one or both instalments of 2001 special beef premium and on the forage area of the holding available for fattening the animals.

Assuming that the 20 bullocks have already been paid one instalment of special beef premium and accordingly are only eligible for the second instalment and that the farmer involved has sufficient forage area to give a stocking density low enough for him or her to qualify for 2001 extensification premium at the high payment rate, the premiums payable for 2001 would be as follows:

20 special beef premiums at £107.11 each	= £2,142.20
20 Euro compensation top-ups on male animals at £1.90 each	= £38.00
20 extensification premiums* at £51.98 each	= £1,039.60
20 Euro compensation top-ups on extensification premium at £0.90 each	= £18.00
20 slaughter premiums at £41.74 each	= £834.80

*If the farmer qualified for extensification premium at the low payment rate, the amount of premium involved would be £519.80 and the Euro compensation top-up on the extensification payment would be £9.00.

If the farmer's holding was in a disadvantaged area, he or she could qualify for disadvantaged areas compensatory allowances.

The rate of compensatory allowance for 2001 on lowland in the more severely handicapped areas is £70.00 per hectare on a maximum of 45 hectares. Payment may be made on up to 60 hectares of mountain grazing in the more severely handicapped areas at the rate of £45.00 per hectare. A farmer who receives payment of 45 hectares of lowland may also receive payment on 15 hectares of mountain grazing.

The rate of compensatory allowance for 2001 on lowland in the less severely handicapped areas is £60.00 per hectare on a maximum of 45 hectares. Payment may be made on up to 60 hectares of mountain grazing in the less severely handicapped areas at the rate of £45.00 per hectare. A farmer who receives payment of 45 hectares of lowland may also receive payment on 15 hectares of mountain grazing.

Using the same assumptions the level of premiums for 1997 would be as follows:

20 special beef premiums at £90.17	= £1,803.40
20 Agrimonetary and BSE compensation top-ups on male animals at £10.00 each	= £200.00
20 extensification premiums* at £43.13 each	= £862.60

*If the farmer qualified for 1997 extensification premium at the low payment rate the amount involved would be £597.20.

If the farmer slaughtered his/her animals in the period 1 January to 10 June 1997, he/she could have qualified for 1997 deseasonalisation slaughter premium which varied from a high of £60.09 per animal at the beginning of the period to £15.02 towards the end.

If the farmer's holding was within the more severely handicapped areas, he or she could have qualified for disadvantaged areas' headage payments of £40.00 each on the first eight animals and £33.00 each on the next 12, assuming the animals were over two years. If under two years the 20 animals would only count as 12 livestock units and qualify for eight grants at £40.00 each and four grants at £33.00 each.

Payments under the rural environment protection scheme are area based. The basic rate payable in 2001 to REPS participants is 151 or £119 per hectare compared with 125 ECU or £125 per hectare in 1997.

Payment on target area land, that is national heritage areas, special areas of conservation, special protection areas and commonage, was 155 ECU or £155 per hectare in 1997 and is 242 or £191 per hectare in 2001, an increase of approximately 23%.

Compared with 1997, there is an additional 10% incentive in 2001 for small farmers with holdings up to 20 hectares.

John Moloney

Ceist:

225 Mr. Moloney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the level of premiums, including extensification, payable in 2001 to a farmer who is also participating in the REP scheme with 20 beef suckler cows rearing animals to yearlings; the way in which this compares with 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20221/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The level of premiums, including extensification, payable for 2001 to a farmer with 20 beef suckler cows rearing followers to yearlings, depends on the number of male calves in the herd, whether the male calves over seven months are entered for 2001 special beef premium and on the extent of the forage area of the holding available for maintaining the cows and followers.

Assuming that there are ten male calves in the herd which are over seven months of age before the end of 2001, that they are entered for the special beef premium scheme and that the forage area of the holding is sufficient to qualify for 2001 extensification premium at the high payment rate, the premiums payable for 2001 would be as follows:

10 special beef premiums at £107.11 each	= £1,071.10
10 Euro compensation top-ups on male animals at £1.90 each	= £19.00
20 suckler cow premiums at £162.36 each	= £3,247.20
20 Euro compensation top-ups on suckler cows at £3.00 each	= £60.00
30 extensification premiums* at £51.98 each	= £1,559.40
30 Euro compensation top-ups on extensification premium at £0.90 each	= £27.00

*If the farmer qualifies for extensification premium at the low payment rate, the amount of premium involved would be £779.70 and the Euro compensation top-up on this premium would be £13.50.

If the farmer's holding is in a disadvantaged area he or she could qualify for 2001 disadvantaged areas compensatory allowances.

Using the same assumptions the level of premiums for 1997 would be as follows:

10 special beef premiums at £90.17	= £901.70
10 Agrimonetary and BSE compensation top-ups on male animals at £10.00 each	= £100.00
20 suckler cow premiums at £140.23	= £2,804.60
20 Agrimonetary and BSE compensation top-ups on suckler cows at £20.47 each	= £409.40
30 extensification premiums* at £43.13 each	= £1,293.90

*If the farmer qualified for 1997 extensification premium at the low payment rate the amount involved would be £895.80.

If the farmer's holding was within the more severely handicapped areas, he or she could have qualified for disadvantaged areas' headage payments of £84.00 each on the 20 cows and £33.00 each on ten of the livestock units attributable to the calves.

Compared with 1997, there is an additional 10% incentive in 2001 for small farmers with holdings up to 20 hectares.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Tuesday, 3 Jul 2001