Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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5. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have applied for the beef data and genomics programme; the number who have subsequently withdrawn from the programme; and if he will provide a breakdown, by county. [34453/15]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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I have a question regarding the number of farmers who have applied for the beef data genomics programme. There are a lot of rumours about the percentage of farmers who have withdrawn and the numbers withdrawing on a daily basis. There is certainly much confusion and maybe dissatisfaction. Could the Minister clarify this, please?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Beef accounts for 35% of the gross output of the agriculture sector. Beef exports in 2014 amounted to 524,000 tonnes, worth €2.27 billion. The suckler herd is a critical component of this industry. The beef data and genomics programme, BDGP, is a response to these challenges and opportunities, and particularly to the challenges associated with improved breeding performance, including for maternal traits such as cow fertility, and the very onerous requirements to reduce the percentage of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions which comes from the agriculture sector. Improving the genetics of the suckler herd can make a positive contribution in both of these areas while also improving the economic viability of suckler farming.

The BDGP provides targeted support to suckler farmers. It builds on the success of the State’s investment of over €9 million in the beef data programme in each of 2013 and 2014 and on the success of the pilot beef genomics scheme, which involved investment of around €23 million last year. The scheme was launched on 5 May last as part of Ireland’s rural development programme, RDP, and involves funding of some €300 million over six years. Scheme participants will receive a payment of €142.50 for the first 6.66 hectares and €120 for each hectare thereafter, up to a maximum payable hectarage. That is the equivalent of about €95 per cow for the first number of animals. In return for this payment, participants will be required to undertake six actions, some of which will be well known to suckler farmers through their participation in previous schemes.

In recent weeks, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation has issued every scheme applicant with detailed reports of the current status of animals in their herds. Participants will receive similar information about the scheme and their individual herd on an ongoing basis. This is in addition to a training programme which will be rolled out over the next 12 months. I have also announced a series of information meetings for participating farmers which will commence next week.

It is clear from the large number of applications received for the BDGP that farmers recognise the benefits this scheme can deliver locally and nationally. Just under 30,000 farmers applied to join the scheme and the number of those who have since exited the scheme, equivalent to about 5% of applicants, is more or less in line with previous suckler-based schemes run by my Department.

The figures as requested are set out in the table which the Deputy will get, if he does not have it. The table outlines per county the number of applicants and the numbers of farmers who have withdrawn. The counties that have the most applicants obviously have the most withdrawals, as one would expect. The predictions some were making that huge numbers would withdraw from the scheme simply have not come true.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for his reply. I think initially he was hoping 35,000 people would join the scheme. By 5 June around 30,000 applicants had applied. I have seen figures suggesting ten people a day were withdrawing from the scheme. Other people were saying 700 farmers had withdrawn previously. Earlier this month the Department said there was a 2% withdrawal rate. Is the Minister now saying it is 5%?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is in my reply.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Finish the question, Deputy Ferris, and I will go back to the Minister then.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Certainly the information meetings are badly wanted and there is confusion. When people are very worried and confused and do not have enough information, rumours can start and that is how people start to withdraw. It is very important that those information meetings take place. All of us who are involved in politics would like to make sure people get the best out of that programme. The Minister needs to clarify much of the information.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Let me just be clear. When we launched the scheme we probably should have had more information meetings earlier. I accept that. I attended a number of the meetings myself. While there were a lot of people who were concerned about elements of the scheme, I do not think those concerns were well founded in many cases. We have managed to clarify a lot of those things.

I have written to everybody in the scheme outlining the scheme, its requirements, how it is going to work and how we are going to help farmers to make sure it works for them. We will spend about €44 million or €45 million on the scheme this year. One of the commitments I gave to all farming organisations was that we would get a lot of payments out this year on the schemes. We now have a lot of farmers looking to come in to the scheme who did not decide to enter it at the start but are now reassured by the messages that have gone out. They want to be part of the scheme and cannot get in. There are also some farmers deciding that maybe it is not for them. That is fine too; it happens with every scheme.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Minister.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is no mass exodus here. I would like to reassure farmers that this is a really good scheme. In ten or 15 years it will prove to be one of the most innovative schemes that has ever been introduced in any European country in terms of upgrading the genetics of a herd and providing farmers with more and more accurate scientific information about better breeding programmes. It is a huge income support for beef farmers. Most importantly, it will improve the quality of our herd which means cattle will grow faster and have better conformation and fertility rates. They will make more money for farmers and will produce fewer emissions in their lifetimes.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Minister.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ultimately, that is what a €300 million scheme over the next six years is all about. I think most farmers would now agree that the qualification criteria and benchmarks they have to meet on that journey are very achievable in the timescale that has been outlined. In fact, the vast majority of farmers are already where they would need to be by about 2018.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister said that a number of farmers are trying to get into the scheme now and cannot. Is that because the closing date is gone? Can they get in next year?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We will take a look at that. I obviously want to spend the full amount of money that we have allocated for the scheme over the six years. We now need to consider whether we can afford to take more farmers in, how we could do that, who the farmers are and whether we should prioritise younger farmers or new entrants.

That is a decision we will make next year when we see how much money we are spending. I want as many suckler beef farmers in this scheme as we can get because it is a really good scheme and I want to ensure we spend the full €300 million on the scheme over its lifetime. We will figure out how best to do that and we will obviously discuss that with farming organisations to ensure they are comfortable with it.