Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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14. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers participating in the beef data genomics scheme that have completed a beef carbon navigator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37706/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The completion of a carbon navigator is a central requirement of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) in 2016. The carbon navigator is an online farm management package developed by Bord Bia and Teagasc. It quantifies the environmental gains that can be made on each farm by setting targets in key areas such as grassland management. It is a very useful and simple tool which will allow applicants to look at changes which can be made on their farm in areas such as the length of the grazing season or average calving rate. It will then illustrate what such changes would mean in terms of reduced Green House Gas emissions from the herd and the increased profitability associated with such a change. From 2017 participants must subsequently submit data annually to allow for an update of the carbon navigator.

My Department has provided for the training of advisors in the completion of the carbon navigator. The list of trained advisors is available on the Department’s website at www.agriculture.gov.ie. Those BDGP participants who have not already completed the carbon navigator should immediately make contact with the advisor of their choice and make an appointment to complete their 2016 carbon navigator. Payment for completing the carbon navigator is incorporated into the farmers’ annual BDGP payment while the advisory cost will be paid directly to their chosen advisor by the Department upon successful completion.

Failure to complete the carbon navigator by the 30 November will result in penalties being applied to payments, and, if not completed by 30 April will result in exclusion from the BDGP with any payments already made being recouped.

As of 28 November almost 22,000 participants in BDGP have completed a carbon navigator. I recently extended the deadline for completion by a month until 30 November to allow farmers greater time for completion. My Department has been in regular contact with those farmers who have not yet completed the carbon navigator over the last few weeks to remind them of this requirement.