Measure of success

Date: 24/04/1997

The 'early marketing premium' introduced in the wake of the beef crisis to encourage farmers to sell their calves for slaughter before they get big, fat and heavy has been a huge success. A new Commission report discussed at this month's meeting of EU farm ministers found that the scheme will save 26 million ecu in future intervention costs. Very impressive - until you learn that the scheme itself has cost about 65 million ecu.