Latest news with #WilliamTaylor
Agriland
4 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Farmers for Action withdraws from NAP discussions
Farmers for Action (FFA) has withdrawn from all official discussions relating to a new Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) for Northern Ireland. A delegation from the organisation walked out of an official NAP stakeholder meeting at which Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) officials were in attendance earlier this week. FFA spokesperson, William Taylor said: 'The current NAP review process is not fit for purpose. We have made it clear to DAERA officials that we will not engage with the process until such times as fundamental changes in its structure are implemented.' Significantly, FFA has requested a meeting with Minister for Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir, to discuss the ways in which a new NAP can best be developed for Northern Ireland. Taylor said: 'We have yet to receive an official response on this matter.' NAP public consultation Meanwhile, FFA is indicating that it may still participate in the NAP public consultation. 'But this would only be on the basis of the farm minister fundamentally changing its structure,' stressed the FFA representative. 'First off, 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 business.' FFA is also calling for the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to ensure that sufficient advisors 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 commented: '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.' And finally, FFA wants the policies implemented where the use of organic manures are concerned to be totally overhauled. Taylor said: '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.' FFA also wants to see the export of the surplus manures produced in Northern Ireland to Brazil and other Mercosur countries. This is based on the rationale that grain and animal feed stuffs imported from South America are contributing to Northern Ireland's water quality challenge in the first place.
Al Arabiya
27-05-2025
- General
- Al Arabiya
Kremlin shrugs off Trump's Putin criticism, says everyone is ‘emotional'
In this episode of Global News Today, presented by Tom Burges Watson, we focus on former President Donald Trump's latest criticism of Russia. The Kremlin has downplayed his remarks, saying everyone is 'emotional.' This comes after Trump called President Vladimir Putin 'absolutely crazy' following Moscow's largest aerial assault on Ukraine to date. Guests: Dr. Jeff Kuhlman – Former White House physician Alexander Khara – Former advisor to Ukraine's defense minister William Taylor – Former US ambassador to Ukraine Sergey Markov – Former Putin spokesperson
CBC
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Putin skipped peace talks in Turkey that he himself suggested
The Kremlin confirmed early Thursday that Russia President Vladimir Putin would not be attending peace talks in Istanbul, sending aides and deputy ministers instead. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy bowed out soon after, dismissing the Russian delegation as 'decorative.' William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, says it's especially odd since Putin suggested the meeting in the first place.
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.'
Agriland
02-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
FFA: UK food security levels ‘now a national emergency'
Farmers for Action (FFA) spokesperson, William Taylor, has cited the absolute priority for food security levels in the UK to be increased. Taylor told Agriland: 'This issue now represents a national emergency. 'The latest figures indicate that food security levels in the UK are about to dip below 60%, with farmers in Northern Ireland providing 14% of this overall total.' Taylor attended the recent Save British Farming Press Day, held in London. The event saw a number of speakers highlight the dependency of Britain on food imports. Food security Taylor said: 'These supplies could be put at absolute risk in the event of future conflicts impacting on one or other of the world's food producing hubs. 'And we are already seeing this, up to a point, where Ukraine is concerned.' According to the FFA representative, enhanced levels of food security can only be achieved by putting real money in farmers' pockets. 'Government must act to ensure that farmers receive prices that cover their costs of production while also allowing them to invest in the future of their businesses,' he said. In Taylor's view, getting back to basics – from a land management perspective – will be at the core of a future commitment to enhance food output across the UK. 'There are vast tracts of land that would benefit from a combined liming, drainage and fencing programme. 'Steps of this nature were taken in the past: it's time to re-visit these issues again,' Taylor explained. FFA Alongside food security, the issue of food production standards also sits at the very heart of the myriad issues that FFA is campaigning on at the present time. And these matters have been further exacerbated by recent trade deals entered into by the UK government with a number of the world's food producing powers. According to the FFA spokesperson, there is now a growing perception that recent trade agreements involving the UK, Australia and New Zealand will trigger a domino effect. This will be centred on similar trade deals, which will allow for the dumping of low standard food imports on the UK public. 'The only way forward in these circumstances is for the UK to significantly enhance its indigenous levels food production. 'And this can be achieved if the proper support polices are put in place by the Westminster government. 'Currently, 13 family businesses are leaving the farming industry each day. And they are not being replaced,' Taylor stated.
