Latest news with #NorthernIrelandFarmWelfareBill
Agriland
a day ago
- Business
- Agriland
Northern Ireland's NAP forum will not meet until September
Farmers for Action (FFA) is indicating that Northern Ireland's Nitrates Acton Plan (NAP) forum will not meet until September. The organisation's spokesperson, William Taylor told Agriland: 'Nothing will happen until the politicians at Stormont come back from their summer recess. 'FFA plans to actively participate in the discussions involving the members of the forum.' 'The appointment of an independent chair is extremely important. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has it within his gift to suggest an appointee. 'But the person stepping into the position must be fully ratified by the organisations that make up the stakeholder forum.' Regarding the issue of inheritance tax, and the decision taken by the chancellor last autumn to extend the scope of the levy to include production agriculture, Taylor believes that a legal precedent can be established that derogates Northern Ireland from this measure. He explained: 'The issue centres on Northern Ireland's unique, post-Brexit status and the continuing influence of certain European statutes. 'We are currently working with Fairness for Farmers in Europe on this issue.' Meanwhile, FFA is criticising what it regards as the unsustainable trends in farmgate prices currently impacting across the dairy, beef, and grain sectors. 'Dairy farmers should be getting at least 60p/L for their milk. And in the case of cattle sector, beef prices should be at least £8/kg," Taylor said. 'Dairy farmers across the UK are being driven out of business. And the same scenario is unfolding in the suckler sector.' The last 12 months have seen grain prices plateau at levels well below those recorded when Russia invaded Ukraine back in 2022. Taylor believes that corporate organisations operating within the grains and oilseeds sector have the influence to control markets in ways that suit their specific needs, and not those of farmers. 'The current Stormont Executive has the chance in what little time remains in this mandate to sort this problem out by introducing the Northern Ireland Farm Welfare Bill," the FFA spokesperson said. 'This measure would return farmers a true cost of production inflation linked plus a margin for their produce. 'Significantly, the Bill is now being looked at as a UK-wide initiative." 'Progress at either Stormont or Westminster couldn't come soon enough to help protect family farmers from inheritance tax and poor farm gate prices.'
Agriland
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Agriland
FFA calls for end to ‘excessive red tape' in UK agriculture
Farmers for Action (FFA) has called for the deregulation of agriculture in the UK. But what does this mean in practical terms? 'It means that farmers will no longer be burdened with excessive red tape and the threat of penalties hanging over them all the time,' confirmed FFA spokesperson, William Taylor. 'There is obviously a need for fundamental regulations to be implemented at a nation-state level, where the likes of animal and plant health are concerned. 'And there is also a need for national government to uphold their international commitments. 'But what's not required is the spectre of government departments controlling every aspect of a farming business.' The FFA representative cited the outworking of Northern Ireland's new Nitrates' Action Programme (NAP) as a case in point. Taylor explained: 'We now have the prospect of the Department of Agriculture sending farmers phone notifications of pending extreme weather events throughout the slurry spreading season. 'These notifications will be accompanied with warnings, necessitating a halt to slurry spreading activities until normal weather patterns resume. 'And if farmers are found to be breaching these notifications, fines will follow.' According to the FFA spokesperson, this is nothing more than a Big Brother approach to farming. 'All farmers have enough common sense to know when they can and can't spread slurry,' Taylor said. 'But there is also an element of double standards coming into play here. The Department of Agriculture refuses to countenance the use of this weather warning approach during the current closed period for slurry spreading: from the middle of October through to the end of January.' Slurry spreading FFA representatives have long held the view that the impact of climate change ensures that the spreading of slurry can have a positive impact on plant growth throughout the year. Taylor said: 'This is particularly the case during the autumn period when slurry applied to stubble fields can be easily ploughed in. 'And, again, farmers are the people who know their own land best.' Taylor called for common sense to prevail in regard to situations like these. 'Farmers are the ultimate custodians of the countryside and will also work to preserve it. And it's up to government to further encourage all of this: not stymie it,' Taylor stated. 'It is time for the Northern Ireland Farm Welfare Bill to be put in place to have family farmers properly paid for their produce. 'In taking this approach, people would have money in their pockets to farm their farms the way they judge best, applying all common-sense environmental approaches. 'The end result will be a musical chairs of farming activity across Northern Ireland, which will be good for the economy, the environment, and tourism.'
