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

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak about this issue. We do not often get an opportunity to speak about agricultural issues0 and I believe we should have more opportunities to do so.

The livestock census figures for the years 2010 to 2017, inclusive, show that the number of suckler cows in the national herd has reduced from approximately 1.15 million to 1.08 million, a reduction of around 7%. Following the removal of milk quotas in 2015, it was anticipated that there would be a substantial reduction in the size of the national suckler cow herd. While there has been movement from suckler cows to dairying in traditionally strong dairy counties, the overall reduction in the size of the herd has been much less than anticipated, which is very encouraging. There are around 33,000 farmers whose main enterprise is suckler cow or cattle rearing, accounting for 23% of all farms in Ireland. These farms are particularly reliant on direct payments to cover production costs, with average direct payments of approximately €14,500, accounting for 115% of family farm income, according to Teagasc’s national farm survey 2016.

Furthermore, an analysis of the national diary farm survey data shows that existing direct payments to suckler cow farmers provide support equivalent to approximately €500 per suckler cow. The BDGP which has been mentioned regularly in the House today is the main support specifically targeted at the suckler cow sector. It will provide beef farmers with some €300 million in funding during the current rural development programme period. There are approximately 25,000 herds covered by the programme and approximately €125 million has been paid out so far. The basis of the programme is that genetic improvements are to be delivered by improving the maternal efficiency traits of the national herd, which will result in a corresponding reduction in the level of greenhouse gasses, GHG, per kilogram of beef produced by suckler beef animals. Research data allow us to quantify the reduction in GHG emissions associated with each day cows calving interval is shortened, each day younger at which a cow produces its first calf and each kilogram heavier a calf is at the time of weaning. These are the key objectives of the programme.

The BDGP was agreed with the European Commission as part of Ireland’s rural development plan for the period 2014 to 2020, alongside a number of other schemes such as the areas of natural constraint, ANC, scheme; the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, and the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, which also benefit suckler cow farmers. We have heard, in the past few minutes in particular, about the underspend under different schemes. I challenge Fianna Fáil to outline where the underspend is occurring. GLAS and TAMS payments are built into the process. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is not going to sort out this problem. Pitting farmers one against the other is not going to sort it out. There is no way one can look for €200 under the current system.

The current model of funding via the BDGP provides support to enable suckler cow farmers to improve efficiency and profitability by improving the overall genetic merit of their beef herd. I firmly believe the scheme will deliver tangible long-term and cumulative positive effects for both suckler cow farmers participating in the scheme and farmers who buy the progeny of suckler cows for further finishing. That is the only way forward. I recently had the opportunity to attend a beef trial farm in my constituency, where there was collaborative work done between the processors, the researchers, Teagasc, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, ICBF, and farmers. The tangible effects of that research can be seen in the period since. It has only been available for three years and they are planning for the future. The fact is that there are more dairy herd animals coming into the system as a result of the increase in the size of the dairy herd and we can get the best produce from them. The same applies to the beef cow herd. We have learned how Angus and Hereford cattle can be produced more efficiently in the beef cow sector, how an easier calving animal is produced and how we can achieve a beefier animal. That is the only way forward. Extra funds could be made available under CAP 2020, but we have to have the technology and genomics programme needed. Technology and genomics will help to make the beef sector more competitive and efficient for the future.

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