FFA requests meeting with NI agriculture minister on NAP
Farmers for Action (FFA) has requested a meeting with Stormont agriculture minister, Andrew Muir to discuss Northern Ireland's new Nutrient Action Programme (NAP).
The organisation has welcomed the four-week extension to the public consultation, now underway, where the proposed suite of environmental measures are concerned.
FFA spokesperson, William Taylor, told Agriland: 'We wrote to the minister with regard to NAP a number of days ago. Receipt of the letter has been confirmed.'
According to Taylor, one third of Northern Ireland's active farmers are located within the Lough Neagh catchment area.
He said: 'We will be making four main points to the minister. First of all, his department must adequately support all farming businesses regarding the final NAP measures that are implemented.
'In practical terms, this means introducing FFA's proposed Farm Welfare Bill. This has been designed to guarantee farmers sustainable prices on an ongoing basis allied with the capability of further investing in their businesses.'
FFA is also calling for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to ensure that sufficient advisers are made available to work with farm businesses on an individual basis when it comes to the calculation of phosphate and nitrate loading levels across production agriculture.
Taylor explained: 'The principle of DAERA being used as an enforcement agency in the first instance is fundamentally flawed.
'It is the job of department officials to work with farmers, advising them how to reach whatever NAP targets are agreed in a co-ordinated manner.
'These are matters which can only be addressed in the long-term – there is no short-term fix. And this fundamental fact must be realised by DAERA.'
Organic manure
And, finally, FFA wants the policies implemented where the use of organic manures are concerned, to be totally overhauled.
'In the first instance, there are large tracts of agricultural land across Northern Ireland that would actually benefit from an application of slurry.
'And this fundamental fact must be recognised by Minister Muir,' Taylor said.
Significantly, FFA recognises that surplus quantities of farm manure are generated by agriculture in Northern Ireland.
'Solid materials, including poultry litter, can be exported back to those countries supplying the large tonnages of grain and other animal feed materials coming into Northern Ireland on an annual basis,' Taylor suggested.
'The boats delivering these grains in the first place can be used to export back the solid manures, on the basis that their cargo areas are suitable lined.'
Taylor makes the point that countries like Brazil are short of organic manures needed to retain indigenous soil fertility basis.
'Receipt of the manures would ensure that countries like Brazil would be less likely to cut down virgin forest in order to maintain grain output levels.
'I see no reason why Brazil could not be asked to part fund the export of solid manures from Northern Ireland.
'Other financial contributors would include the members of the Northern Ireland's Grain Trade Association and the food processing sector,' Taylor said.
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