John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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488. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason persons (details supplied) have not received an increased payment under the beef genomics scheme in line with the increased number of animals and acreage as a result of a farm partnership; and if he will re-examine the case. [43024/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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An application to participate in the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) was received from the persons named on 25 May 2015. The BDGP was approved by the Commission as an agri-environment scheme under Ireland's RDP. As with all agri-environment schemes payment is made on a per hectare basis.

Under the terms of the Commission approval 2014 was specified  as the reference year for the Programme and payment is calculated on the basis of the number of cows that calved in the herd in 2014. In certain very limited circumstances 2015 could be used where 2014 did not reflect the applicant's usual farming practice, e.g. where there had been a disease outbreak.

The number of calved cows in 2014 was divided by a rate of 1.5 to determine the amount of the maximum payable area (MPA). In order to receive payment in respect of the full MPA the applicant must have had this amount of land declared on the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) application in 2014. While 78 cows calved in this herd in 2014 the amount of land declared on the SPS application amounted to 38 hectares and therefore the MPA for this applicant was established as being 38 hectares. While a farm partnership was entered into in 2016 which resulted in  additional land being available under the partnership it is not possible to increase the land over and above that declared in 2014. The reference number and MPA remain constant for the duration of the programme, subject to the land being retained.

It is not possible to increase the reference number or MPA during the lifetime of the BDGP.