Agriculture minister Edwin Poots has set out clear perspectives on the future of farm support in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the recent National Ploughing Championships in Co. Laois, he confirmed that the post-Brexit farm support measures will focus on a number of key themes.
These are: Recognising the role of active farmers in adopting sustainable production practices; creating the conditions that will provide encouragement for young people coming into the industry; and driving up efficiency levels across the industry.
Where beef is concerned, the minister referred to a revolution taking place within the sector, similar to that which has already been effected within the pig and poultry sectors.
He said:
“The use of improved genetics and the introduction of management systems that drive performance and reduce environmental impacts, particularly greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, are priorities for the beef industry.”
Significantly, Edwin Poots did not rule out the ring-fencing of cow numbers within the suckler sector. But added that all future support measures will be underpinned by a measurable improvement in farm economic and environmental performance.
Recent weeks have provided the minister and his policy team with an opportunity to review the views expressed by respondents to the public consultation on future farm policy reform, which has now ended.
He is also conscious that his current tenure as agriculture minister will end on October 28.
But irrespective of what happens politically over the next few weeks, Edwin Poots wants to have a roadmap put in place, where future farm policy for Northern Ireland is concerned.
The farming industry awaits further details on what the funding arrangements for the post-Brexit support measures will be.
Commenting on the rising cost of farm inputs, the minister pointed to the early issuing of the 2022 single farm payments as recognition, on his part, of the challenges now facing farmers.
“The single payment budget was also increased by 2% this year,” he explained.
“It is also my intention to ensure that support measures put in place to cushion the prices of energy this winter will fully impact on farm businesses.
“Farming plays a vital role at the very heart of Northern Ireland’s economy. It is vitally important for the industry to be supported effectively over the coming months.”
When asked about the future outworking of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Minister Poots did not seem to rule out the possibility of real progress being made on the issue over the coming weeks.