Northern Ireland producers also need help to alleviate scale-backs in Beef Special Premium Payments
21 July 2005
Jim Allister MEP is working to ensure that any deal reached for producers in the Republic of Ireland, to help alleviate for the 2004 Beef Special Premium (BSP) scheme overshoot, should also be applicable for Northern Ireland.
Jim Allister commented, “Northern Ireland beef finishers need to be given similar aid to that which is proposed to be given to beef finishers in the Republic of Ireland in order to help alleviate against 2004 BSP scale back in payments. Northern Ireland farmers have already helped the ROI beef industry by purchasing large numbers of both ‘clean eared’ and ‘single punched’ cattle throughout 2004. It is only right that they also get some of the scale back reimbursed by either the Government and/or Europe.”
“The UK and Ireland have both fully decoupled at the earliest opportunity from the start of 2005. This together with the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland should help strengthen the case for Northern Ireland beef producers.
“In order to win the case, there is a need for lobbying at local, National and European level. Despite the current attacks from the Government on the CAP, I hope they will ensure that the Northern Ireland beef industry will get at least equitable treatment as those farmers south of the border.”
