Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any study has been carried out by his Department into farm operational costs with particular reference to the need to ensure maximum cost effectiveness in the on going economic situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34295/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not conduct studies into farm operational costs. However, as part of its National Farm Survey programme, Teagasc conducts an annual survey, using a nationally representative sample on over 1,000 farms, to monitor farm outputs, costs and incomes. The results of the 2010 survey are shown in the attached link, while the output from the 2011 survey will be available later this year: http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2011/1016/NFS10.pdf . In addition, Teagasc operate Profit Monitors to help farmers measure the profitability of their farming enterprise and to analyse the financial performance of the farming business. These tools allow farmers to easily identify input costs that are higher than average or output sales that are below average and to take the necessary corrective action.