Latest news with #UFU
Agriland
5 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Agri-politics to the fore at Ballymena Show 2025
The current cut and thrust of agri-politics in Northern Ireland was very much a talking point at Ballymena Show 2025. The days running up to the event had seen large numbers of farmers expressing their opposition to the latest Nutrient Action Plan (NAP) proposals, unveiled in May by Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir. Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) deputy president, John McLenaghan, spent the day at the Ballymena Show, where Agriland spoke to him about the proposed revisions to the NAP. McLenaghan said: 'NAP is all about improving water quality. And farmers across Northern Ireland totally buy into this principle. 'In fact, they have already achieved significant improvements where this matter is concerned over recent years. 'However, the current NAP proposals are unworkable. More than that, Minister Muir failed to liaise properly with all the relevant stakeholder groups prior to the commencement of the current public consultation. According to the UFU deputy president, this is a 'fundamentally flawed' approach. 'What's required now is for the minister to go back to the drawing board and develop a set of realistic NAP proposals with all the farming bodies and stakeholder groups,' he said. 'By taking this approach, it will be possible to come up with realistic solutions that everyone can agree on.' Ballymena Show 2025 competition classes Beef classes As is always the case, the show rings at Ballymena were graced by large numbers of elite dairy stock, beef cattle, and sheep. Deerpark Shakiraenjoyed a superlative showing career as a young pedigree Limousin heifer. And it seems that she is continuing where she left off as a young cow. She entered the show ring at this year's Ballymena Show with her October 2024 bull calf, Shakira Viking,at foot – looking every bit the champion. And so it turned out. Shakira won the Limousin breed championship in the morning, going on to secure the Ballymena 2025 Inter-Breed Beef championship later that afternoon. She was exhibited by Connor and Ryan Mulholland, from Co. Antrim. Noted Simmental and Limousin breeder, Cecil McIlwaine, judged the inter-breed beef classes at the event. McIlwaine said: 'The winning animal has got everything: great length, shape, and overall beef character. 'And the fact that the young cow has a calf at foot adds to the appeal.' But there were plenty of other high class pedigree animals taking part in the beef classes scheduled for Ballymena Show 2025. 'The Simmental champion is another exceptional young cow in the making. And the fact that she has twin calves at foot, again, adds to her appeal,' McIlwaine said. This year's Ballymena Simmental championship was won by Ballinalare Farm Nikita,exhibited by Alan Wilson from Newry. Dairy classes Meanwhile, the competition in the dairy rings was equally strong at Ballymena. The Dairy Pairs' champion team at Ballymena Show 2025 The Dairy Inter-Breed Championship was won by Stewartstown breeder, Jason Booth with his eye-catching Holsteinfourth calver: Beechview Hurricane Primrose EX93. Jason said: 'She produced 12,500L of milk in her last lactation at 5.6% butterfat and 3.4% butterfat. 'The cow calved for the fourth time last December and is due to calve again later in November.' Primrose is homebred and continues to perform tremendously well. Philip Jones from Co Wexford judged the dairy inter-breed classes at Ballymena Show 2025. He described his Holstein champion as an excellent example of the Holstein breed. 'The cow has tremendous dairy character. This includes a tremendous mammary system in tandem with tremendous locomotion,' Jones said. 'The overall quality of the dairy stock entered for this year's show was exceptional.' Sheep at Ballymena 2025 An exceptional entry of 800 sheep took centre stage at Ballymena Show 2025. And the man with the immense task of judging them all was Alan McCalymont, from Scotland. Glenn Baird, from Armagh, won the Sheep Inter-Breed Championship and the Ram Lamb Inter-Breed Championship at Ballymena Show 2025 At the end of a very long day's keen competition, McCalymont selected a Charollais ewe from the flock of the Co. Armagh breeder, Glenn Baird, as his Inter-Breed Champion. McCalymont explained: 'The ewe is a tremendous example of her breed. She looked an absolute picture in the ring.'
Agriland
6 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Farming group ‘not ruling out legal action' over NAP proposals for NI
The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) is 'not ruling out legal action' in relation to new proposals contained in Northern Ireland's Nutrient Action Programme (NAP). The Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, launched a public consultation on the NAP for 2026 to 2029, last month, which he said contains 'additional measures which have been developed based on scientific research'. The main additional measures include further restrictions on use of chemical phosphorus fertiliser and a farm phosphorus balance limit for more intensive farms. According to Minister Muir research shows that around 62% of the high nutrient (phosphorus) levels in Northern Ireland's waterbodies 'come from agricultural sources'. But the UFU believes these new proposals could 'devastate local farming' – a view it conveyed during meetings this week with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland (DAERA) and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in relation to the new NAP proposals. According to William Irvine, president of the UFU, the organisation also told Minister Andrew Muir this week during a meeting that the consultation process around the new NAP proposals has been 'deeply flawed'. (L-R) UFU president William Irvine and UFU deputy president John McLenaghan at Stormont Source: UFU Irvine added: 'There has been no economic impact assessment and no thorough engagement was carried out with stakeholders ahead of the consultation publication. 'The farming community acknowledge the need to improve water quality and we will play our part in a holistic approach, but we feel totally blindsided. 'Our members are frustrated that proposals of such magnitude have been brought forward without thorough analysis of the real-world impact on farm businesses, food production and rural livelihoods.' NAP According to the UFU the new NAP proposals could impact on thousands of farmers across Northern Ireland and result in many having to find more land for slurry spreading or cut their livestock numbers. Irvine has said the next step for the UFU is to its next 'course of action'. ''We are not ruling out legal action. 'Our members expect us to stand up for them, and that's exactly what we intend to do,' Irvine added.
Agriland
6 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
UFU: ‘Alarming absence' of clear communication on A5 project
The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has highlighted the challenges and 'prolonged disruption' faced by farm families due to the ongoing A5 Western Transport Corridor project. The UFU addressed the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) and the Committee for Infrastructure at Stormont yesterday (June 3). It said that it recognises the significance of the project, particularly its potential impact on road safety and regional connectivity. However, the UFU has concerns regarding the scheme's impact on agricultural business, land vesting and the 'dire lack of communication' from government departments and contractors. A5 project The UFU's technical and communications manager, James McCluggage believes that there is an 'alarming absence' of consistent communication from all parties involved. McCluggage said: 'Farmers and their appointed agents are reporting a significant communication breakdown. There are few 'liaison officers' on the ground, leaving landowners without a direct point of contact for their numerous questions and problems. 'Also, road contractors are consistently failing to inform landowners about works affecting their land, leading to frustration about construction schedules, access arrangements and business implications.' The UFU also told the committees that it has concerns about the vesting process and compensation. 'Landowners are demanding transparency on the vesting price, with a clear rationale provided by the district valuer. Many have seen their land vested and works commence, yet they are still awaiting any compensation or even a valuation,' McCluggage explained. 'This is simply unacceptable. We are also deeply concerned about the economic impact this is already having on farmers, with a noticeable decrease in production this year.' According to McCluggage, there was 'significant' confusion for some farmers when updating their maps before the Single Application Form (SAF) deadline on May 15. He said: 'There needs to be some form of force majeure provision for these landowners this year, as mistakes may understandably have been made due to the ongoing disruption. 'We stressed the urgent need for clarity on the planning of essential permanent infrastructure, such as new farm sheds, at an early stage, with the full authority of the Planning Service NI. 'The current method for calculating process contributions in planning applications, particularly for upgrading or replacing existing agricultural infrastructure, is flawed.
Irish Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Ulster Farmers Union ‘not ruling out legal action' over proposed Nutrients Action Programme
The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) has said it is not ruling out potential legal action over a proposed Nutrients Action Programme. Officials from the representative body said its president William Irvine led a delegation during a 'robust' meeting with Stormont Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir on Tuesday raising 'serious concerns' about the proposals.
Belfast Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
EU-UK deal represents a major breakthrough, says leader of farmers' union
Michelle O'Neill said there had been an 'improved relationship' between London and Brussels A new landmark deal between the EU and UK represents 'a major step forward for Northern Ireland's agri-food industry', the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has said. The sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement relates to aspects of food, fishing, defence and passports and will see fewer checks on some goods moving from Great Britain to NI as part of the Prime Minister's Brexit reset.
