Beef breed boost from last National Envelope before full decoupling
Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh announced that the funds for 2004 will be 31.4m in the final National Envelope prior to the advent of full decoupling in 2005.
The funds will be divided equally between the beef breed heifer slaughter premium; a top-up on replacement heifers in the suckler cow herd and a top-up on dry heifers qualifying for the suckler cow premium, up to a maximum of 15% of the number of qualifying animals.
These measures are designed to improve the quality of the beef-breeding herd, in conjunction with increasing the milk quota threshold for small-scale milk producers in the suckler cow premium scheme, to 200,000 litres.
With regard to the exemption level for the Special Beef Premium, the Minister has decided to reduce the number of animals exempted to 25, while maintaining the existing headage limit of 180 head per holding, per age category.
The aim is to protect small producers some 50,000 herd owners will not be liable for a penalty, should an overshoot arise in 2004.
IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman Derek Deane said with an increased national quota of 47,000 premium rights and increased live exports, the potential for a quota overrun had reduced.
He welcomed this and said future payments under the Fischler single farm payment will continue to direct the National Envelope money to the producers benefiting now.
Minister Walsh has announced a fifth census date of Sunday, November 16.
For 2003 Extensification Premium, the livestock unit value of cattle aged over six months for calculating stocking densities will be based on the CMMS recorded average on holdings on the five census dates.
On receipt of herd profiles for the five census dates, farmers should check them against their Bovine Herd Registers to ensure that animal numbers are correct.
