Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic said that the amendments to the Rulebook had raised the threshold for eligibility for subsidy from two to three quality breeding cows or bulls, 10 to 30 quality breeding ewes or rams, three to 10 male or female goats and three to 10 quality breeding sows or boars. The Committee Chairman said that the Committee’s recommendation was to keep the threshold as it was.

The representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, State Secretary Zeljko Radosevic, Assistant Minister Nenad Katanic and the Head of the Directorate for Agrarian Payments Zarko Radat said that the Rulebook was drafted in consultation with experts and the reason for the thresholds are limited funds for agricultural subsidies.

Following a long debate the Committee members concluded to recommend putting the Rulebook amending the Rulebook on the procedure for exercising the right to livestock production subsidies on quality breeding stock out of commission. The Committee is of the opinion that a raise in the threshold for breeding stock needs to be planned years in advance otherwise it could cause a loss in the numbers of quality breeding stock. The Committee recommends that the Government secure the funds the Directorate for Agrarian Payments needs for livestock production subsidies on quality breeding stock from budget reserves.

The Committee went on to endorse the initiative of Committee member Prof. Dr Miladin Sevarlic to amend the Law on Incentives in Agriculture and Rural Development and forwarded it to the Government and relevant Ministry for consideration.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Prof. Dr Miladin Sevarlic, Marjana Maras, Mladen Lukic, Dalibor Radicevic, Tijana Davidovac, Arpad Fremond, Radovan Jancic and Marko Zeljug.