Agriculture JC 25 January 2002

1. The fifth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in Agriculture Sectoral format was held in Fermanagh on 25 January 2002. The Northern Ireland Administration was represented by Ms Bríd Rodgers, MLA, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who chaired the meeting, and Mr Sam Foster, MLA, Minister of the Environment. The Irish Government was represented by Mr Joe Walsh, TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

2. The Council considered a progress report by the Steering Group on co-operation on the agreed programme of work in the field of animal health. The report included updates on the nine Animal Health Working Groups which have agreed joint action plans in such areas as Bovine TB/Brucellosis, Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, Veterinary Medicines, Zoonoses and Exotic/Novel Diseases, Animal Welfare, Cross-Border Aspects of Fraud, Animal Health Schemes, Disease Surveillance, Import/Export of live animals and their products and all EU matters in the Veterinary/Animal Health field, of interest to the two Departments.

The report also included updates on overall strategies related to Animal Health on the island of Ireland, Scrapie Eradication and Foot and Mouth Disease. The Council noted that Northern Ireland had now received official recognition of its freedom from FMD by the Office International des Epizooties. The Council endorsed the progress made so far and requested the Steering and Working groups to continue their work with a view to the development of joint strategies on animal health before the end of 2002.

3. The Ministers reiterated that their priorities in the WTO negotiations should be the protection of the ability to export to third countries and the retention of the WTO 'Blue Box' exemption for direct payments to farmers. Since the last meeting of the NSMC in its agriculture format, a new round of multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was launched at the WTO Ministerial Conference held in Doha, Qatar, from 9 -14 November 2001. The Ministers discussed the key elements of the Doha declaration relating to agriculture and agreed to keep further progress under review.

4. Recent discussions between the two Departments focused on the changes to the EU Integrated Administration and Control System Regulations, CAP simplification, Sheep Retention Period for 2002, Sheep irregularity cases, Reform of the Sheepmeat Regime and use of discretionary Beef National Envelope funds in 2002. The Council noted and supported the active co-operation between the two Departments of Agriculture in relation to the implementation of the CAP.

5. A progress report submitted by the Steering Committee on Cross-Border Rural Development was noted by the Council. Two studies commissioned by the Steering Committee in relation to co-operation between cross-border rural communities and cross-border rural development education, training and research will be available by the end of this month. The Committee will advise Ministers in due course on appropriate follow-up action. The European Commission has now agreed the Ireland/Northern Ireland INTERREG III Operational Programme.

Plant Health

6. The Council noted a positive report on the existing liaison between Northern Ireland and the South on plant health matters. This extends to both technical and scientific co-operation in particular, in the area of potato certification and the movement of infected plant material. Most significant in the recent past, has been the success of co-operation by both Administrations in respect of containing and resolving a crisis in the production and marketing of mushrooms, which arose out of the discovery of Salmonella Kedougou in mushroom compost casing material. The Council also encouraged the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland and the South, to pursue the areas suggested for extended co-operation in plant health research and development.

Business Related to the Language Sector

7. The Council confirmed the appointment of Mr Seosamh Mac Donncha as Chief Executive of Foras na Gaeilge, The Irish Language Body.

AOB

8. Minister Rodgers reported on her 'Vision' exercise for the future of the agri-food industry, which was currently the subject of public consultation.

9. The Council agreed that its next meeting in this Sectoral format would take place in the South in April 2002.

Joint Secretariat

25th January 2002