No. 169/1937:

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

The Minister for Agriculture, by virtue and in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the joint operation of the Agriculture Act, 1931 (No. 8 of 1931), and the Diseases of Animals (Ireland) Acts, 1894 to 1935, and of every and any other power him in this behalf enabling, hereby orders as follows :—

1. (1) This Order may be cited as the Sheep Dipping Order, 1937.

(2) This Order shall come into operation on the 1st day of August, 1937.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1923 (No. 46 of 1923), applies to the interpretation of this Order in like manner as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of the Oireachtas.

3. In this Order—

the expression " the Minister " means the Minister for Agriculture ; the word " sheep " includes lambs ;

the expression " sheep dip " means a substance or preparation which is a remedy for sheep scab and is used for the dipping of sheep ;

the expression " sheep bath " means sheep dip diluted with sufficient water to make a bath suitable for dipping sheep ;

the expression " approved sheep dip " means sheep dip approved by the Minister under this Order or which was at the date of the coming into operation of this Order approved by the Minister under any other Order ;

the expression " approved label " means a label approved by the Minister under this Order or which was at the date of the coming into operation of this Order approved by the Minister under any other Order for attaching to the outside of packages or containers of sheep dip, and when used in relation to particular sheep dip, means approved by the Minister for use on packages or containers of that particular sheep dip ;

the expression " dipping period " means the period beginning on the first day of August and terminating on the thirty-first day of October in any year ;

the word " inspector " includes a veterinary inspector.

4. (1) Any person who manufactures sheep dip may apply to the Minister for his approval of such sheep dip.

(2) Every application to the Minister for his approval of a sheep dip shall be in such form and shall contain such particulars as the Minister may require and shall be accompanied by a sample of such sheep dip.

(3) Where an application is made to the Minister for approval of a sheep dip under this Article the Minister may as he thinks fit either approve or refuse to approve of such sheep dip.

5. (1) Any person who manufactures sheep dip, if he applies to the Minister for his approval of such sheep dip, may also apply to the Minister for his approval of a label for use on packages or containers of such sheep dip.

(2) An application for the Minister's approval of a label for packages or containers of a sheep dip shall be in such form as the Minister may require and shall be accompanied by a specimen of the label to which it relates.

(3) Application may be made by a manufacturer for the Minister's approval of any number of labels of different design for use in connection with any particular sheep dip.

(4) Where an application is made to the Minister for approval of a label under this Article the Minister may as he thinks fit either approve or refuse to approve of such label.

6. (1) It shall not be lawful for any person to sell sheep dip, unless—

(a) such sheep dip is approved sheep dip, and

(b) is in a sealed package or container, and

(c) is labelled with an approved label.

(2) If any person—

(a) knowingly marks (by attaching an approved label thereto or otherwise) any package or container which does not contain approved sheep dip in such a manner as to indicate that such package or container contains approved sheep dip, or

(b) exposes for sale any package or container so marked which to his knowledge does not contain approved sheep dip,

such person shall be guilty of an offence against the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894.

7. (1) Every person required by this Order to dip any sheep shall, when so required, cause such sheep to be totally immersed in a sheep bath of an approved sheep dip and shall cause all parts of such sheep except the head and ears to remain immersed in such sheep bath for a period which shall in no case be less than one minute.

(2) No dipping of any sheep shall be deemed to be dipping within the meaning of this Order unless such dipping is in accordance with the foregoing paragraph and the sheep so dipped, other than lambs of less than nine months, have been previously clipped in the year in which such dipping takes place.

8. (1) Save as otherwise provided by this Order, every person, who in the dipping period in any year has in his possession or under his charge any sheep, shall in such dipping period, on a date (in this Order referred to as the first dipping day) and also on a later date (in this Order referred to as the second dipping day) which shall be not less than seven nor more than fourteen days after the first dipping day cause such sheep to be dipped in accordance with this Order.

(2) Before dipping any sheep in accordance with the foregoing paragraph the person in possession or in charge of such sheep shall not later than five days before the first dipping day serve a notice (in this Order referred to as a sheep dipping notice) on the local authority.

(3) A sheep dipping notice shall state the following things, that is to say :

(a) the approximate number of sheep in respect of which it is served,

(b) the place or places at which such sheep are at the date of the notice,

(c) the place or places where such sheep will be dipped,

(d) the intended dates respectively of the first dipping day and of the second dipping day, and the hours at which it is intended to carry out dipping on such days.

(4) The expression " double dipped " where applied to sheep in this Order means that such sheep have been dipped in accordance with this Order on the first dipping day and also on the second dipping day, or at such other times as may be substituted therefor and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.

9. Notwithstanding any provision in this Order exempting sheep from dipping, it shall not be lawful in the months of September and October in any year to move into or expose for sale in any fair, market, or saleyard any sheep unless such sheep—

(a) have been double dipped in the dipping period in that year, and

(b) such sheep are accompanied by either—

(i) a declaration in Form A in the First Schedule hereto that such sheep have been double dipped signed by the person who is in possession or is in charge of such sheep, or

(ii) by such documentary evidence of dipping as may be prescribed by regulations made by the local authority and for the time being in force.

10. (1) Where, at any time in the dipping period in any year, sheep (in this Order referred to as imported sheep) are brought into Saorstát Eireann, the person in possession or in charge of such sheep shall immediately serve a dipping notice on the local authority and shall state in such notice that such sheep are imported sheep, and shall isolate such imported sheep from all other sheep until such imported sheep have been double dipped.

(2) Where any sheep are brought to a market, fair, or saleyard in Saorstát Eireann from a place outside Saorstát Eireann at any time in any dipping period and such sheep are accompanied by a declaration in Form B in the First Schedule hereto, signed by the person in possession or in charge of such sheep, stating that such sheep have been dipped in a manner which would in Saorstát Eireann be double dipping, the following provisions shall have effect, that is to say:—

(a) such sheep shall while being moved to, while at, or being removed from such market, fair, or saleyard be deemed not to be imported sheep for the purposes of this Order,

(b) if such sheep after being removed from such market, fair, or saleyard, are detained in Saorstát Eireann, such sheep shall at and from the time of such detention be imported sheep for the purposes of this Order.

(3) Sheep which are brought into Saorstát Eireann from a place outside Saorstát Eireann for the purpose merely of sending them to another place outside Saorstát Eireann shall not be deemed to be imported sheep for the purposes of this Order.

(4) Where any person is the owner or occupier of, or has grazing rights on, land in Saorstát Eireann, and also is the owner or occupier of, or has grazing rights on, land in Northern Ireland, and such person in the dipping period in any year moves sheep from such land in Northern Ireland to such land in Saorstát Eireann, and such sheep are accompanied by a certificate signed by an inspector of a local authority in Northern Ireland stating that such sheep have been duly dipped in a manner which if carried out in Saorstát Eireann would be double dipping, such sheep shall be deemed not to be imported sheep for the purposes of this Order and such sheep shall be deemed to have been duly double dipped.

(5) Every local authority on which a sheep dipping notice is duly served in respect of imported sheep shall send an inspector to be present at the dipping of such sheep.

(6) Where in any month any inspector of a local authority is present at the dipping of any imported sheep such inspector shall, not later than the first day of the next month, furnish to such local authority in Fomn C in the First Schedule hereto a report of the dipping of such imported sheep, and such local authority shall furnish the Minister with a copy of every such report.

11. The person in possession or in charge of any sheep which have been, or are deemed to have been, dipped in accordance with this Order in a dipping period, shall, in that dipping period, keep such sheep isolated from all other sheep which have not, nor are deemed to have been, so dipped.

12. (1) If any person in possession or in charge of sheep is of opinion that it is impracticable or inexpedient to dip such sheep in accordance with this Order in a particular dipping period because such sheep are intended for exhibition, or for some other special reason, such person, if he obtains from a veterinary surgeon a certificate (hereinafter referred to as the veterinary surgeon's certificate) stating that he has examined such sheep, that they are free from disease, and that the grounds alleged for their exemption are reasonable, may apply to the clerk of the local authority for a certificate (in this Order referred to as an exemption certificate) exempting such sheep from dipping in such dipping period.

(2) Every application to the clerk of a local authority for an exemption certificate, in respect of the dip ping of any sheep in any dipping period, shall be accompanied by the veterinary surgeon's certificate given in respect of such sheep in accordance with this section, and on receipt of such application accompanied by such certificate such clerk may grant in Form D in the First Schedule hereto an exemption certificate in respect of such sheep exempting them from dipping in such dipping period either absolutely, or subject to conditions as to subsequent dipping as such clerk may think right.

(3) Whenever an exemption from dipping in a dipping period is given by the clerk of a local authority under this Article, in respect of any sheep, such sheep shall be exempt from dipping in that dipping period to the extent and subject to the conditions (if any) mentioned in the exemption certificate.

(4) Every clerk of a local authority who signs an exemption certificate under this Article shall forthwith send to the Minister a copy of such certificate together with a copy of the veterinary surgeon's certificate given in respect of the sheep to which such certificate relates.

13. Every person in possession or in charge of sheep at any time in any dipping period unless—

(a) such sheep came into his possession or charge after they had been double dipped in that dipping period, or

(b) the dipping of such sheep on the second dipping day was carried out in the presence of an inspector,

shall, not later than the 30th of November in that year, serve on the clerk of the local authority a return (in this Order referred to as a sheep dipping return), in Form E in the First Schedule hereto, of all sheep double dipped by him in that dipping period.

14. When sheep are dipped on the second dipping day in accordance with this Order in the presence of an inspector he shall give the person in possession or in charge of such sheep a certificate in Form F in the First Schedule hereto that such sheep were double dipped, and when such person declares to such inspector that he was not at the time of such dipping in possession or in charge of any sheep other than those so dipped such inspector shall state on such certificate that such person has made such declaration.

15. Where at the expiration of the dipping period in any year sheep in the possession or charge of any person have not been double dipped, nor are deemed to be double dipped, an inspector may, without prejudice to any proceedings in respect of the offence committed by such person in failing to have such sheep double dipped, serve on such person, and on any person in possession or in charge of any sheep in contact with such first-mentioned sheep, a notice in Form G in the First Schedule hereto, requiring all or any of such sheep to be dipped in the manner specified in such notice and upon the service of such notice it shall be unlawful for any person to move any of the sheep to which such notice relates from any land on which such sheep are at the date of such notice until such notice has been complied with.

16. Where there is on any land a place used for dipping sheep, the owner or occupier of such land shall as soon as is practicable after each occasion on which such place is so used, cleanse such place, collect and disinfect or destroy all wool remaining in or about such place, and so dispose of the sheep bath used in such place that no river, well, or water supply is tainted or poisoned by such sheep bath.

17. Where any document in relation to any sheep is required by this Order or by regulations made by a local authority thereunder to be served on any local authority such document may be served—

(a) by posting or delivering it to a member of the Gárda Síochána, stationed at the Gárda Station nearest to the place where such sheep are, who shall thereupon transmit it to such local authority, or

(b) by posting or delivering it to the clerk of such local authority, or

(c) in such manner as may be prescribed by regulations made under this Order by the local authority on which it is required to be served.

18. (1) If in the opinion of any local authority it is desirable that any sheep in the district of such local authority should be dipped in any dipping period at any particular time and place, such local authority may serve on the person in possession or in charge of such sheep a requisition (in this Order referred to as a dipping requisition) requiring such person to dip such sheep at the time and place, and in the manner specified in such requisition and to the satisfaction of an inspector.

(2) Every requisition served on any person by a local authority under this Article shall be in Form H in the First Schedule hereto and shall state whether the dipping required thereby shall be in addition to or in lieu of the dipping required by this Order.

(3) Where a dipping requisition is served on any person, and such requisition states that the dipping mentioned in such requisition is in lieu of the dipping required by this Order, any sheep dipped in accordance with such requisition shall for the purposes of this Order be deemed to be double dipped.

19. (1) Where under this Order any sheep are required on being moved, to be accompanied by any document (in this Order referred to as an accompanying document) it shall not be lawful for any person to move such sheep unless such document is carried by him at the time of moving.

(2) Any person in possession or in charge of sheep while such sheep are being moved shall on demand by a person (in this Order referred to as an authorised person) who is one of the following, that is to say :—

(a) a Peace Commissioner,

(b) a member of the Gárda Síochána,

(c) an inspector,

(d) any person authorised by the Minister for that purpose,

(e) an officer of a local authority authorised for the purpose, produce any accompanying document and permit such authorised person to read and if he so desires to copy or make extracts from such document.

(3) Any person in possession or in charge of sheep which are being moved shall on demand give his name and address to an authorised person and state whether he is or is not the owner of such sheep and if he is not the owner give the name and address of the owner.

20. (1) Every inspector shall have power to do all or any of the following things—

(a) enter on any premises where there is any place used for dipping sheep and inspect such place and investigate the method by which sheep baths used at such place are disposed of,

(b) inspect the dipping of any sheep,

(c) require a sample of the dip used for the making of any sheep bath, or a sample of the sheep bath,

(d) require the production of the package or container in which the sheep dip used for making any sheep bath was packed,

(e) require the production of any document relating to the dipping of sheep,

(f) examine any sheep.

(2) The person in possession or in charge of sheep shall comply with all the reasonable requirements of an inspector examining such sheep and if so requested by such inspector shall collect, pen, and otherwise afford all reasonable facilities for the examination of such sheep.

(3) The provisions of this Article shall be in addition to and not in substitution for the provisions of section 2 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1903.

21. (1) Every local authority shall temporarily appoint, for service during the dipping period in each year, as many additional inspectors as may be necessary to enable proper supervision to be maintained on behalf of the local authority with a view to securing the carrying out in their district of the provisions of this Order.

(2) Appointments under this Order and the remuneration of persons appointed shall in all instances be subject to approval by royal by the Minister.

(3) If it appears to the Minister that a local authority has in any year failed—

(a) to make within a reasonable time, the appointments required by this Order, or

(b) to make a sufficient number of such appointments,

the Minister may issue to such local authority a certificate under his seal specifying what number of appointments or of further appointments, as the case may be, are requisite for the purposes of this Order in the district of the local authority and specifying also, if the Minister sees fit, the rates of remuneration of the inspectors to be appointed and the areas for which they should respectively act, and the local authority on receipt of such certificate, shall proceed, without avoidable delay, to make the requisite appointments in accordance with the terms of the certificate.

22. A local authority may make regulations for all or any of the following purposes, that is to say :—

(a) empowering inspectors, by notice served on any person in possession or in charge of sheep, to require that the dipping of such sheep shall be carried out at specified times and places,

(b) requiring compliance with notices served by inspectors under such regulations at the times specified or such times as may be substituted owing to inclement weather.

(c) requiring that the person in possession or in charge of sheep shall provide in a specified form, in a specified manner, and with specified particulars documentary evidence of the dipping in accordance with this Order and such regulations of such sheep,

(d) requiring the furnishing of documentary evidence provided in accordance with such regulations to specified persons or on specified occasions.

(e) for requiring that sheep moved into or exposed for sale in any fair, market, or saleyard during any dipping period shall be accompanied by documentary evidence of dipping provided in accordance with such regulations,

(f) for requiring that the parson in possession or in charge of sheep shall comply with all reasonable requirements of an inspector as to the collection, penning and dipping of such sheep,

(g) for prescribing the manner in which any document required to be served on such local authority under this Order or such Regulations shall be served on such local authority.

23. Where under any regulations made by a local authority under this Order any powers are exercisable by an inspector of such local authority every inspector of the Minister may in the district of such local authority exercise such powers in all respects as if he were an inspector of such local authority.

24. The power of making regulations conferred on a local authority by this Order shall be exercisable only by such local authority or the executive Committee thereof and shall not be deputed to any other committee or sub-committee.

25. No regulation made by a local authority under this Order shall apply to sheep moved by railway or by road vehicle through the district of the local authority from a place outside the district either—

(a) to another place outside the district without unnecessary delay and without being unloaded within the district, or

(b) direct to a ship in a port within the district or to a lair at such port for shipment from such port within two days.

26. (1) Whenever a. local authority makes regulations under this Order such local authority shall send a copy of such regulations to the Minister.

(2) If in the opinion of the Minister any regulation or part of a regulation made and submitted to him by a local authority is objectionable, the Minister may direct in writing the revocation of such regulation or part and upon such direction being received by such local authority such regulation or part of a regulation shall be deemed to be revoked by them.

27. (1) Whenever the Minister by notice published in the Iris Oifigiúil declares that any area (which may be either the whole or any part of Saorstát Eireann) shall be a scheduled area such area shall while such notice remains in force be a scheduled area for the purposes of this Order.

(2) The Minister may in respect of any scheduled area make special regulations as to the dipping of sheep or as to the movement of sheep within, into, or from that scheduled area.

(3) The provisions of special regulations made by the Minister for a scheduled area in respect of the dipping or movement of sheep shall, so far as they relate to matters dealt with by this Order, while such regulations remain in force in such scheduled area, be in lieu of the provisions of this Order in relation thereto.

(4) The Minister may at any time after he has published a notice declaring an area to be a scheduled area, publish a notice cancelling such first mentioned notice in respect of all or part of the area to which it relates, and thereupon the area in respect of which the notice is cancelled shall cease to be a scheduled area and any special regulation made in respect of such area shall cease to have effect but without prejudice to anything done thereunder while in force.

28. The Orders described in the Second Schedule to this Order are hereby revoked as from the coming into operation of this Order.

29. It shall not be lawful for any person to aid, abet, counsel, or procure the commission of any breach of the provisions of this Order.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

FORM A.

(ARTICLE 9.)

FORM OF DECLARATION TO ACCOMPANY SHEEP MOVED INTO A MARKET, FAIR OR SALEYARD DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER TO 31ST OCTOBER IN ANY YEAR.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

I, ............................................................ ........................................... of............................................................ ........

in the County of ............................................................ ............. do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare:—

*Strike out the inappropriate words.

(a) that I am the person in possession of the under-mentioned sheep* that I am the person in charge of the under-mentioned sheep as agent for..................................., of .................................... in the County of ................................................ who has authorised me to make this declaration;

(b) that the said sheep were double-dipped at a time subsequent to the thirty-first day of July last in accordance with the provisions of the above Order by the under-mentioned persons ;

(c) the statements of facts in this declaration are of facts within my knowledge or are based on information received from............................................................ ............................................................ ....

of ............................................................ ............................................................ .......................................... †

Signed ............................................................ ...................................

Date............................................................ ...............................

†Here insert particulars of source of information, or if statements are of your own knowledge strike out words after " knowledge."

FORM B.

(ARTICLE 10. )

FORM OF DECLARATION TO ACCOMPANY SHEEP BROUGHT INTO SAORSTÁT ÉIREANN TO A MARKET, FAIR, OR SALEYARD.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

I,.............................................. ........................................,of............................................................ ........................

in the County of ..... ............................................................ ........ do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare—

*Strike out the inappropriate words.

(a) that I am the person in possession of the under-mentioned sheep* ; that I am the person in charge of the under-mentioned sheep as agent for ................................... of ..................................... in the County of ................................................... who has authorised me to make this declaration ;

(b) that the persons specified in this declaration dipped the said sheep at a date later than the 31st day of July last before such sheep were brought into Saorstát Éireann, and in such a manner as would in Saorstát Éireann be double-dipping under the above-mentioned Order ;

(c) the statements of facts in this declaration are of facts within my knowledge or are based on information received from ............................................................ ............................................................ ...

of ............................................................ ............................................................ .......................................... †

Signed ............................................................ ...................................

Date............................................................ ..............................

† Here insert particulars of source of information, or if statements are of your own knowledge strike out words after " knowledge."

FORM C.

(ARTICLE 10).

MONTHLY RETURN SHOWING DIPPINGS OF IMPORTED SHEEP.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

In the month of....................................I was present at the dipping of the undermentioned sheep.

Signed ............................................................ ..........................

Inspector.

Dated............................................................ ............................

FORM D.

(ARTICLE 12).

CERTIFICATE OF EXEMPTION FROM DIPPING.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

The undermentioned sheep are hereby exempted in respect of the dipping period in the year......................from the requirements of the above Order relating to the dipping of sheep, on account of*............................................................ ............................................................ .................

*Here state grounds of exemption.

This exemption is subject to the following conditions :—†

Signed ............................................................ ...................................

Clerk of the Local Authority for the

County of............................................................ ......................

Dated ............................................................ ..............................................

†Here insert conditions, if any.

PARTICULARS OF SHEEP EXEMPTED.

NOTE.—Every clerk of a local authority who signs an exemption in the above form in respect of any sheep is required by Article 12 to send to the Minister for Agriculture a copy thereof with a copy of the certificate of the veterinary surgeon furnished to him under that Article.

FORM E.

(ARTICLE 13.)

RETURN OF DIPPING OF SHEEP NOT CARRIED OUT IN THE PRESENCE OF AN INSPECTOR.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

I, ........................................................ of ..................................................... in the County of .................. do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare :—

*Strike out the inappropriate alternative.

(a) that I am the person in possession of the under-mentioned sheep that I am the person in charge of the under-mentioned sheep as agent for ............................................ of ...................................... in the County of ........................... who has authorised me to make this declaration ;

(b) that all the under-mentioned sheep, not exempted from dipping, have been double-dipped in accordance with the above-mentioned Order since the thirty-first day of July last by thorough immersion in a sheep bath made from sheep dip, approved by the Minister for Agriculture, for sheep scab ;

(c) the particulars of such dippings set out below are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed ............................................................ ..................................

Dated............................................................ ...........................

PARTICULARS OF DIPPINGS.

†If there are no exemptions this is to be stated.

PARTICULARS OF EXEMPTIONS.

NOTE—This return is required to be made at any time after the sheep are double-dipped and before the expiration of one month from the end of the dipping period in which the dipping took place.

FORM F.

(ARTICLE 14.)

CERTIFICATE BY INSPECTOR AS TO DIPPING OF SHEEP.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

FORM G.

(ARTICLE 15.)

NOTICE TO DIP.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

To ............................................................ .................. of ............................................................ .............................

a person in possession or charge of the under-mentioned sheep.

Take Notice that I ........................................... an Inspector of the Local Authority for the County of .............................. require you to double-dip, within the meaning of the above Order, the under-mentioned sheep by dipping them at ............................................... on the ......... day of ............................... 19 ... between the hours of ................................................ and at ............................................... on the ............... day of ............................................... between the hours of ............................................................ ..........................................

And take notice that it is not lawful for any person to move the under-mentioned sheep from *............................................................ ............................ until this notice has been complied with.

*Land where sheep are.

Signed ............................................................ ...................................

Dated............................................................ ............................

FORM H.

(ARTICLE 18)

DIPPING REQUISITION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY.

SHEEP DIPPING ORDER, 1937.

To ............................................................ ............................ of ............................................................ ....................

a person in possession or charge of the under-mentioned sheep.

You are hereby required to dip, within the meaning of the above Order, the under-mentioned sheep in the presence of an Inspector at ........................... on the ......... day of .............................. 19............. between the hours of..............................and at .............................. on the ......... day of .....................19.................. between the hours of................................

The dipping required by this requisition shall be in addition to* ; shall be in lieu of the dipping required by the above Order.

*Strike out the inappropriate words.

By Order of the Local Authority.

Signed ............................................................ ...................................

Clerk.

Dated............................................................ ............................

SECOND SCHEDULE.

ORDERS REVOKED.

The Sheep Dipping (Ireland) Order of 1915, made the 1st day of April, 1915.

The Sheep Dipping (Appointment of Inspectors) (Ireland) Order of 1915, made the 24th day of November, 1915.

Order Amending the Sheep Dipping (Ireland) Order of 1915, made the 4th day of May, 1921.

The Sheep Dipping (Ireland) Order of 1915, Amendment Order of 1924, made the 14th day of July, 1924.

The Sheep Dipping (Regulation) Order of 1927, made the 19th day of May, 1927.

The County Mayo (Sheep Dipping) Order of 1930, made the 4th day of July, 1930.

The Sheep Dipping (Local Regulations) Order of 1931, made the 23rd day of January, 1931.

Given under my Seal of Office this 10th day of June, 1937.

SÉAMAS O RIAIN,

Minister for Agriculture.