Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If the actual effect of the scheme is that a huge number of small farmers do not participate in it and therefore are not quality assured, then is it defeating itself with a surfeit of bureaucracy? Obviously, every scheme must have terms and conditions, but it is my understanding the Bord Bia bureaucracy is the one causing the problem and not the bureaucracy of the scheme itself that aims to improve the suckler cow herd and suckler cow production. Therefore, could a derogation be given for the smaller herds? Will the Minister outline to me what premium farmers get in the factory if they have Bord Bia certification? Are they getting a significant premium?

There are two parts to my question. The first part, as pointed out by the Minister, is that it is only the last 90 days that counts at the moment, and we have brought this in from birth. This is literally turning the vast majority of farmers from taking part in the scheme at all, a point on which I will also come to in Question No. 9.

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