COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2008
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Dr William McCrea MP (Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Allan Bresland
Trevor Clarke
Willie Clarke
William Irwin
Francie Molloy
George Savage
In attendance:
Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Emma Patton (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mary Hawthorne (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Neill (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
The meeting opened at 1.32pm in Public Session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Minutes of last meeting
The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 4 March 2008.
Mr Molloy joined the meeting at 1.35pm.
3. Matters arising
(a) Correspondence Issued
The Committee noted the correspondence issued following the meeting of 4 March 2008.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 1.35pm.
(b) Correspondence received
The Committee noted the Ministers letter dated 5 March 2008 and agreed that the seminar on 13 March 2008 would not be the appropriate juncture to issue an invite as the Minister needed to maintain a strategic focus. The Committee acknowledged the Minister allocating senior officials to the seminar.
The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 4 March 2008.
4. Presentation – Milk- The Future in Focus Conference
Allan Burgess, President of Australian Dairy Farmers, joined the meeting at 1.40pm and presented to Committee on the recent success of the dairy industry in Australia. He then answered questions from Members and left the meeting at 2.00pm.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 2.00pm.
5. Presentation – The Holstein Society
Alan Cleland, Dr Alison Gibbs, John Martin and Brian Walker, representatives of the Holstein Society joined the meeting at 2.00pm and made a presentation on the potential difficulties facing the farming community in relation to the draft Disease of Animals Bill. They then answered questions from the Members.
Members agreed to forward their comments to the Department.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 2.13pm.
Mr W Clarke left the meeting at 2.25pm.
Mr Bradley rejoined the meeting at 2.31pm.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 2.35pm.
The representatives left the meeting at 2.45pm.
6. Presentation – DARD’s Corporate Plan
Gerry Lavery and John Smith, Department officials, joined the meeting at 2.45pm and made a presentation to the Committee on their Strategic Plan for 2008/2011 and their Business Plan for 2008/2009. The officials then answered questions from the members.
The officials left the meeting at 3.15pm.
7. Presentation – Countryside Management Scheme
Harry Gracey, Martin Mooney and Peter Scott, Department officials, joined the meeting at 3.15pm and made a presentation on the proposed changes to the Scheme. They then answered questions from the members.
The officials left the meeting at 3.37pm.
8. Presentation – DARD Efficiency Plan
Tom Rodgers, Malcolm Beatty, Kate Davey and Collette McMaster, Department officials, presented to Committee the changes to DARD’s EDP’s since the meeting of 12 October 2007. The officials then answered questions from Members.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 3.41pm.
Mr W Clarke rejoined the meeting at 3.55pm.
The officials left the meeting at 4.05pm.
9. SL1 – Seeds (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2008
Linda Meldrum and David Garrett, Department officials, joined the meeting at 4.05pm and presented to Committee on the above and answered Members’ questions. It was agreed that the SL1 should progress to the next stage.
Mr Bradley rejoined the 4.05pm.
The officials left the meeting at 4.08pm.
10. SLI – Potatoes Originating in Egypt (Amendment) Regulation (NI) 2008
Members agreed that the SL1 should progress to the next stage.
11. Statutory Rule – Dairy Produce Quotas (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008.
Question put and agreed.
That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered Dairy Produce Quotas (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008
and has no objection to the rule.
12. Statutory Rule – Pig Production Development (Levy) Revocation (No.2) Order (NI) 2008.
Question put and agreed.
That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered Pig Production Development (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008 and has no objection to the rule.
13. AOB
Members were reminded of the Red Meat Seminar, which is to be held in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings on Thursday, 13 March 2008.
14. Date of the Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 1.30pm on Tuesday, 1 April 2008 in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 4.10pm.