Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will ask about the suckler herd. An article in yesterday's Farming Independentregarding the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, ICBF, began: "Suckler herds can reduce their Greenhouse Gas emissions by 10pc over the next 20 years if they use genetics to produce profitable and carbon efficient cows." I welcome that statement. The beef data and genomics programme, BDGP, has been one of the most efficient and best programmes introduced. It is the only one of its kind in Europe whereby there is the collection of data developing the maternal trait, getting the information about the suckler cow and feeding it back. It can be most advantageous for the future.

On my last count, 25,000 suckler farmers are in the BDGP. In the recent budget, there was another scheme introduced, the beef environmental efficiency pilot, BEEP, which will be most beneficial in that regard as well. There are many more than 25,000 farmers in the country. What can the IFA do to encourage more farmers to join this scheme in the event that the pilot is opened up in the future and so that it will form a significant part of the next Common Agricultural Policy?