Former Stormont agriculture minister Edwin Poots remains extremely upbeat regarding the future of farming in Northern Ireland.
However, he is also quick to flag up the challenges that lie ahead, as the Co. Down man attended day two of Balmoral Show 2023.
“The population of the UK is fast approaching 70 million people. This represents a tremendous opportunity, not just for agriculture in Northern Ireland, but for the farming sectors across the British Isles,” he told Agriland.
“British consumers recognise the value of the food that is produced on their doorstep. And they view Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland in this context.”
Poots confirmed that the climate change regulations agreed by Stormont in 2022 link directly to the future format of the support arrangements that will be made available to farmers in the north.
Poots on budgets for NI farming
From an overall farm payment point of view, the current budgets will remain in place until the end of the current Westminster Parliament.
But what happens after that?
“It will be the job of the next British government to review the support arrangements available to local agriculture at that stage,” Poots explained.
“And it will be up to the farming organisations in Northern Ireland to make the best possible case for the industry as a whole in this context.”
But Poots is also quick to confirm that the likes of the poultry and pig sectors have survived without direct farm support for many years.
“So it is possible for farm businesses to survive and prosper without the availability of direct support payments,” he said.
“However, I recognise that it will be much more difficult for the likes of the beef and sheep sectors to remain viable within such an environment.”
Edwin Poots believes that the basic payment support mechanism must remain in place for farmers in Northern Ireland beyond 2024.
“The environmental payments now available in England and Wales are a disaster. Taking this approach in Northern Ireland will not work,” he continued.
“I sense it won’t be long before farmers in Great Britain wake up to the fact that the support system available to them now is not working. And given these circumstances, the only option will be to revert to a basic payment-type system.
“There has been considerable pressure on agri supply chains over the past year and a half. And farmers have had to adapt to these changing circumstances. However, the prospects for farming in Northern Ireland remain very positive,” he said.