Thursday, 4th
May 2017
info@eastcorkjournal.ie
EAST CORK AGRICULTURE
info@eastcorkjournal.ie
Department Of Agriculture, Food And The Marine Lifts Requirement For Confinement Of Poultry
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has announced that, as of April 25, 2017, it is no longer a legal require- ment to confine/house poultry and other birds as a precautionary meas- ure against avian influ- enza (bird flu).
The legislation requir-
ing the confinement of birds was introduced on December 23, 2016. The DAFM said the decision to lift the confinement requirement is based on a number of param-
eters which indicate a reducing risk of an avi- an influenza incursion, including the fact that no case of bird flu has been confirmed here in wild birds for a period of eight weeks, reducing numbers of migratory waterfowl and increas- ing environmental tem- peratures and daylight hours.
“Lifting the require-
ment to confine birds means that all poultry and bird owners can now allow their birds access to open areas and
runs,” a DAFM spokes- person said. “However, owners should not be complacent as there is still the possibility of the virus being present in the environment or be- ing transmitted to their flock by wild birds. Bird owners should contin- ue to remain vigilant, monitor their birds for any signs of disease and implement strict disease control measures. In particular, birds should be fed indoors or under cover where feasible.” The change also means
that free range flocks will regain their status for the purposes of market- ing free range eggs and poultry meat and there will no longer be a re- quirement for additional labelling, the spokes- person added. However, only eggs produced and birds
slaughtered from
April 25, 2017, can be marketed as free range. Product produced prior to this date will have to be marketed as per the guidelines which issued by the DAFM on March 8, 2017.
ICSA Discusses Brexit Strategy With Michel
Barnier In Brussels
At a meeting in Brus- sels 26 April with EU chief negotiator on Brexit Michel Barni- er, ICSA outlined the utter importance of getting the trading re- lationship with the UK right in the post Brexit environment. ICSA un- derlined to Mr Barnier the importance of tariff
free access to the UK market for the Irish beef and dairy sectors but ex- pressed concern that all the emphasis has been placed on the Brexit di- vorce while the trading relationships were being long fingered.
Speaking follow- ing the meeting, ICSA president Patrick Kent
@eastcorkjournal / #eastcorkjournal
said “A good interim arrangement will be critical to bridge the gap between the Brexit divorce and a long term trade agreement.” Mr Kent concluded by saying “Mr Barnier has a very good grasp of the Irish position and we are hopeful that the EU will see that if Irish/UK trade
eastcorkjournal
is hindered all of Europe will suffer the conse- quences. If we divert significant quantities of beef or dairy from the UK to continental Eu- rope then everyone will share our Brexit pain. The solution therefore
is for a unified EU 27 strategy to ensure tariff free access to the UK.”
Hen Harrier Scheme Must Benefit Farmers
IFA National Hill Committee Pat
Chairman Dunne has urged
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to ensure that a significant amount of the allocation to the Hen Harrier Locally-Led Scheme benefits farmers. Welcoming the
an- nouncement by Minis-
ter Creed that a project team has been appointed, Pat Dunne said it is now important that
the team
gets to work immediate- ly with farmers so that
schemes can be devised that will help to address the restrictions that desig- nations have on their land and the impact these des- ignations have on farm income. The
Locally-Led
Scheme is the last ele- ment of the 2014-2020 RDP to be implemented and farmers in hen harri- er and other areas expect a scheme that is going to be meaningful and worth- while. The
National Hill
Farmers’ that
Leader said of the €35m allo-
cated to this element of the locally-led schemes, it is important that
the
vast majority is spent in hen harrier areas as the tendering process for the pearl mussel
has failed
to get a project team so far. Farmers in hen har- rier areas want to see the benefits of this measure working immediately with payments being made without delay once plans have been drawn up.
Tel: 021 463 8000 • Email:
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