WRITTEN QUESTION E-1328/02

by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 May 2002)

Subject: Calculation of LUs in the case of Jersey cows

A dairy farmer with a herd of pure Jersey cows who farms on a grassland farm in the Hunsrück area of Germany has complained that, although Jerseys have a maximum live weight of 400 kg, each of his Jersey cows is calculated as constituting one livestock unit. He argues that the fodder consumption of Jersey cows is appreciably lower than that of other cattle breeds.

It has long been the case that, when livestock units are being calculated for horses kept on a non-commercial basis, account is taken of individual body weights.

1. Is the Commission aware of this problem?

2. Does the Commission see any possibility of an appropriate conversion table being introduced?

3. Are there conversion factors which need to be reviewed in other areas, for example poultry?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2002)

1. The Commission has no knowledge of the specific situation to which the Honourable Member refers. Nevertheless the Commission understands that the situation relates to applying livestock units (LU), which are normally used in the common organisation of certain markets and in support for rural development.

LU are used in the common organisation of the beef and veal market established by Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999(1) to apply the rules on direct payments.

Given the trend towards more intensive production of beef and veal, LU are used with a view to restricting livestock premiums by taking into account each holding's forage capacity in relation to the number and species of animals carried.

Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 stipulates inter alia that producers may be granted a special premium for male bovine animals, a premium for maintaining suckler cows, and an extensification payment. The granting of these premiums is to be subject to the holding's compliance with the relevant stocking density, expressed in LU per unit of forage area used for the animals carried.

Applying the relevant stocking density (1,9 LU in 2002, 1,8 LU in 2003) restricts the number of animals eligible for a special premium or a suckler cow premium. An extensification payment to a producer receiving one or both of the above premiums is also granted subject to compliance with the relevant stocking density (1,4 LU).

For the purposes of granting a special premium or a suckler cow premium, stocking density is to be determined taking into account the male bovine animals, suckler cows and heifers, sheep and/or goats for which premium applications have been submitted, as well as the dairy cows needed to produce the total reference quantity of milk allocated to the producer.

For the purposes of granting an extensification payment, stocking density is to be determined taking into account the male bovine animals, cows and heifers present on the holding during the calendar year concerned, as well as the sheep and/or goats for which premium applications have been submitted for the same calendar year.

The number of animals is to be converted into LU by reference to the Regulation's conversion table, which assigns dairy cows a value of 1,0 LU whatever their breed, age or weight.

Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 also stipulates that a Member State's additional payments in the form of headage payments are to be subject to specific stocking density requirements laid down by the Member State.

It should be noted that equidae, for which there is no common organisation of the market, are not taken into account in this context.

As regards support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, LU are used for support measures in less-favoured areas and areas with environmental restrictions, as well as for support to farmers who give agri-environmental commitments for at least five years.

In this case, stocking density is to be defined taking into account the total number of animals grazing on the holding. The number of animals is to be converted into LU by reference to a conversion table similar to that used for beef and veal (cow: 1,0 LU), but including equidae (equidae older than six months, regardless of weight: 1,0 LU).

LU could also be used in future for Council Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 of 19 December 2001 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat(2), which stipulates that Member States may grant amounts supplementary to the ewe or goat premium, possibly subject to stocking density requirements, to be determined by the Member State in the light of local conditions.

2. The Commission does not at present envisage introducing a method of calculation different from that currently used in each of the contexts referred to under point 1.

3. LU are not used for any other common organisation of the market established in the meat sector.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2) OJ L 341, 22.12.2001.