Mr. Michael Moloney:

I am over the crop policy area. From a tillage perspective, tillage farmers are always looking for diversification. They look at what can improve their farm incomes and they are keen to look at alternatives. On that basis, they would look at the crop to see if it is feasible for tillage farmers to grow it. They have the techniques of growing crops, they have the equipment, and they are ready made to engage. They will, however, compare the returns from hemp with spring barley, which is the crop they would most replace.

With regard to livestock farmers, it is not for any one sector as it can be grown by beef farmers and, as we heard Senator Boyhan say, it is a relatively easy crop to grow. There is a low level of inputs. Mr. Caslin might have more detail on that but it is a relatively easy crop to grow. It does not take the expertise that would be needed if, for example, somebody who was a beef farmer wanted to grow malting barley in the morning. It can be grown in marginal areas and I am aware that is grown in places in County Kerry and the west of Ireland. There is tillage in Kerry as well, however, around the Listowel area. We have not said that any one particular sector is more suited and my comparison with spring barley was predominantly just to show that if it is a tillage farmer, this is what he or she will be comparing it to. At the end of the day, they are going to look at the margin of this crop versus what they are currently doing, be it finishing cattle or raising store cattle or whether they are growing barley or any other crop.