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Euro beef plan will hurt UK

- 13 February 2001
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13 February 2001



Euro beef plan will hurt UK

By Philip Clarke, Europe editor

UK beef producers are likely to be severely hit under a new seven-point plan designed to curb EU beef production in the wake of the continuing BSE crisis.

Announced by European Union farm commissioner Franz Fischler in Strasbourg on Tuesday (13 February), the plan includes the following elements:

  • A new system of individual quotas for beef special premium, based on the number of claims made in 1997, 1998, 1999 or 2000. A national reserve of 1-3% to be created;

  • The 90-head limit for beef special premium to be reintroduced;
  • Between 20% and 40% of suckler cow premium claims must be on heifers rather than cows which have calved. The national quota reserve to be suspended;
  • A new over-30-month scheme for all older cattle, with member states option to store or destroy;
  • No intervention ceiling (of 350,000t/year) for 2001 and 2002;
  • Stocking rates for extensification premium to be cut from 2 livestock units a hectare to 1.8LU/ha from 1 January, 2002;
  • Set-aside land to be available for organic fodder production.

Mr Fischler said the measures were essential to allow beef producers incomes to recover.

“Avoiding the beef mountains looming on Europes horizon is in the interests of consumers, taxpayers and farmers alike.”

But the plan, which is to be decided on by farm ministers on 26 February, has drawn swift rebuke from UK farming unions.

Targeting suckler-cow producers was ridiculous, said NFU livestock adviser, Kevin Pearce.

Having a minimum 20% heifers would force them to increase their replacement rates, resulting in more cull cow beef in the short term, not less.

It was also discriminatory against the UK, which has the second largest suckler-cow herd in Europe.

Yet the UK was not contributing to the BSE problem, having imposed the tightest controls and having increased beef consumption.

“It flies in the face of encouraging more extensive, grass-based beef production,” he added.

He also criticised the introduction of individual quotas for beef special premium and the reintroduction of the 90-head limit, which would add to the bureaucracy and could lead to individual scalebacks.

The Scottish NFU was equally incensed.

“Weve gone through nearly five years of misery and implemented costly BSE controls that are now the envy of Europe,” said president, Jim Walker.

“Beef farmers in Scotland will be incensed if they now have to endure unnecessary cut backs and obstacles to production because of political ineptitude in other European countries.

“If the commission really wants to address the market imbalance, they should insist that member states with a BSE problem immediately implement a compulsory purchase for destruction scheme and a calf processing scheme.”

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