SUCKLER COW PREMIUM SCHEME (Hansard, 2 December 1985)

§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

Under the existing rules of the Suckler Cow Premium Scheme as laid down by the European Commission, if a producer fails to keep for a minimum of six months at least the number of animals on which premium has been granted, he normally forfeits the premium on all his cows. We have always considered this rule to be unduly harsh and have sought to get it changed, though hitherto without success. This year, however, its operation could clearly bear particularly harshly on those farmers who, because of the particular problems caused by the bad weather, find themselves unable to maintain their herd numbers.

My right honourable friend the Minister therefore pressed Commissioner Andriessen very strongly to make a change, and I am glad to say that some modification has now been agreed. This will enable producers to notify, before 31st December, a reduction in the number of cows they have previously undertaken to retain for six months, and to qualify for premium on the lower number. This concession, which applies to the 1985 scheme only, is restricted to farmers in areas notified to the European Commission by the Government as being affected by a shortage of fodder supplies.

In this connection, we propose to notify the European Commission that we are applying the rule change to the whole of the United Kingdom with the exception of specified counties in Eastern and South-Eastern England.

In addition, there is at present a rule that any losses that occur in a herd within the specified six months retention period must be made good within one month; and failure to comply with this rule can involve forfeiture of premium on all a farmer's animals. We have pointed out to the Commission that this rule too could cause particular difficulties in the circumstances of the coming winter and I am glad to say that this has been recognised. It has accordingly 1179WA been agreed that we may take the particular circumstances into account in considering a farmer's ability to replace lost animals.

I hope that these two changes will help farmers with suckler cow herds who may have difficulties in maintaining their herd numbers through the coming winter. The agriculture departments will be announcing the full details of these revised arrangements.