Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:1388. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the position regarding stocking density (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37902/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 18 September 2012
Ceisteanna (1388)
Freagraí scríofa
Under EU Regulation 21/2004, all sheep keepers must count the sheep present in the flock on the holding, record the number in the flock register and are legally obliged to return this number to my Department. The requirement to complete and return the Sheep Census is a legal one, even where there are no sheep on the holding during the period designated. Failure to complete and return the form to my Department may lead to penalties under cross compliance.
Insofar as the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is concerned, in order to make the necessary savings, a range of technical adjustments to the Scheme criteria were introduced, with the agreement of the EU Commission, to ensure that the aid payment is focused on farmers who are making a significant contribution to achieving the objectives of the Scheme, which are defined in the governing EU legislation as follows: To ensure continued agricultural land use and thereby contribute to the maintenance of a viable rural community; To maintain the countryside; To maintain and promote sustainable farming systems which, in particular, take account of environmental protection measures.
I did, however, give the commitment that all applicants, whose stocking density was below 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011, would be written to formally and given the opportunity to apply for a derogation and, in this regard, I can confirm that in excess of 10,000 have been written to and afforded the opportunity to seek derogation from the 0.3 livestock unit requirement. In the region of 9,000 responded and these applications are currently being processed.