§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department notified farmers of the stocking densities affecting their eligibility for hill farm allowance. [151742]
§ Ms QuinFollowing extensive consultation with interested parties, a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per hectare in the hills was included in the proposals which were submitted to the Commission in January 2000. This was retained in the revised proposals sent to the Commission last August, and approved in October. These were matters of public record at the time and known to NFU and farmers organisations, although farmers were not notified individually until guidance notes were distributed in December 2000. These notes included an explanation of how the stocking density would be calculated to allow farmers to work out the position on their own holdings.