Paper work disappears
Much of the paper work required for extensification premia is disappearing. Instead, information on each farm will be taken from the Cattle Movement Monitoring System.
It will be used to determine the most favourable system for each farm, either census or simplified, to qualify for higher or lower levels of extensification. Up to now, farmers had to opt for the census or simplified system, and had to make livestock returns for each of the five census dates. But the Department of Agriculture is now moving closer to full reliance on the CMMS for control of extensification and other livestock schemes. To ensure that the CMMS data is reliable, monitoring of movement of animals through marts is being increased. Also, post movement notification of farm to farm sales is being ended, so that CMMS records are always up-to-date.
The post movement form of notification to the CMMS was used for more than half of all farm to farm movements over the past year. But, since the announcement of the phasing out of post-movement notifications, there has been a sharp increase in the use by farmers of the pre-movement permit.
For the year to date, 70% of farm to farm sales have been carried out using the pre-movement permit system.
Consultations are continuing between the Department and farming organisations to achieve a smooth phasing out of post-movement notification by June.
