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Application period for temporary reallocation of milk quota
due to a herd movement restriction
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has announced that application forms for the Temporary Reallocation of Milk Quota (TRQ) will be available from 1 April, 2008.
The deadline for submitting the completed application form to RPA for the 2007/2008 quota year, is Wednesday 30 April 2008.
The TRQ is designed to provide some help to dairy farmers affected by herd movement restrictions. This includes restrictions imposed due to the outbreak of, for example, TB and brucellosis.
It is based on the principle that movement restrictions will prohibit the sale of newly calved heifers, so a producer may have little option but to add these heifers to the dairy herd. The retention of surplus stock may lead to producers exceeding their milk quota.
Producers whose milk deliveries have exceeded their quota can, therefore, apply for a reallocation of milk quota to partly offset the difference.
If there is a large number of applicants, the amounts producers receive may be a proportion of the quota for which they are eligible. This is because there is a fixed amount of quota available nationally for reallocation.
Producers in England, Wales and Scotland can get application forms (MQ/16) and additional details from either the Milk Quotas Helpline – RPA Exeter on 01392 266466 or online at http://www.rpa.gov.uk under the link ‘Milk Quotas’ – ‘Forms’. Producers in Northern Ireland should contact DARD on 02890 524815.
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Notes to Editors
1. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England and for administering certain schemes, including Milk Quotas, throughout the UK.
2. Regulation 19 of the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 2005, as amended, allows for the RPA to award a temporary reallocation of milk quota to producers who have been subject to a herd movement restriction. The reallocation will be made as part of the levy calculation process carried out by RPA in June/July 2008.
To qualify for a TRQ for the 2007-8 quota year, a producer must have been under a movement restriction for a period during the quota year, ie the movement of animals – (other than possibly direct for slaughter) - was prohibited by a formal notice or order served on the producer.
Producers will not qualify if they:
- Disposed of any unused quota, by permanent transfer or lease; or
- Purchased dairy cows; or
- Purchased in-calf heifers, after a movement restriction was imposed, unless they can demonstrate a prior contractual commitment to do so, or
- Were subjected to a herd movement restriction simply due to an overdue test, unless they can provide evidence that extenuating circumstances for the delay was beyond their control.
Media Enquiries
Ciaran Baker, RPA Press Office, 0118 968 7680; e-mail: Ciaran.baker@rpa.gsi.gov.uk.
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