Mr. John Bryan:

There are ten different types of people involved. Of concern are the farmers farming elsewhere who have stock and meet the minimum stocking rates. If agreement is reached during the Irish Presidency, the next round of the CAP will commence in 2014, the major changes of which may not be implemented until 2015. It appears that as part of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions a minium stocking rate will be introduced not only in the hills but everywhere. Most countries appear to be asking for this. This means a claim from a farmer who has no stock and is not engaged in farming will be determined invalid by the Commission. The Commission decides terms, which often run to 30 pages. An applicant must be actively farming. A farmer who is not engaged in farming, has no stock and takes no active part in farm maintenance gets nothing. Some countries have drawn up plans for people not involved in farming but taking part in a maintenance scheme, which is slightly different and includes topping a couple of times. However, some land is incapable of being topped.