Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason one of the conditions of the Beef Technology Adoption Programme is to use Irish Cattle Breeding Federation Herdplus software; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33826/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The establishment of an effective discussion group model similar to that successfully employed in the dairy sector was a key recommendation of the report of the industry-led Beef 2020 Activation Group which was set up to advise on the implementation of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy. The Beef Technology Adoption Programme (BTAP) giving effect to this recommendation was devised following extensive consultation and in collaboration with industry stakeholders. During its development phase, the Department discussed the draft Programme with representatives of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA), Teagasc, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), the Irish Veterinary Union (IVU), the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) and Meat Industry Ireland (MII).

The purpose of the Programme is to address the significant challenges to farm-level profitability by providing a financial stimulus that will encourage participants, through the vehicle of discussion groups, to improve the technical efficiency of their beef enterprises, by focusing on the key profit drivers (such as breeding, animal health, financial and grassland management).

As part of the Programme, participants must be members of HerdPlus, a service provided by the ICBF which generates genetic evaluation and breeding performance data. As the Deputy is aware, ICBF is an industry led co-operative which receives some support from my Department to assist it to maintain a national database of cattle breeding information. This database is of vital importance for the future development of the national beef herd, and has a strong public good component. Inclusion of this provision as a condition of the Beef Technology Adoption Programme is intended to encourage participants to improve breed quality in their herds and stimulate the kind of best practice in beef farming that will ultimately improve breed quality and profitability across the national herd. Further information on HerdPlus may be obtained from ICBF.

I am convinced that this ongoing work will be of major importance in leading to the development of high-quality animals which are required for the future success of the Irish beef industry.