Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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510. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a farmer can be a member of two knowledge transfer groups, that is, beef and sheep groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34684/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The draft 2014-2020 Rural Development programme proposes the establishment of Knowledge Transfer Groups across a range of sectors, including Beef and Dairy, that will see farmer meetings facilitated by highly qualified advisors and will involve the transfer and exchange of information and best practice. All participating famers will be required to develop a Farm Improvement Plan in the initial year of participation and to update it in the 2^ndand 3^rdyears. This plan can include a Profit Monitor, Carbon Navigator, Herd Health Plan and Herd Improvement Plan. As many of these elements will be common to Farm Improvement Plans across the sectors and to address concerns of double funding farmers are prohibited from participating in more than one group at the same time.