Ulster Farmers’ Union – North Antrim countryside. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
The Ulster Farmers’ Union and the Northern Ireland Sheep Industry Taskforce is calling for urgent action to support local farmers following comments by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir, that the sheep support scheme has been sidelined due to resource constraints. During the NI Assembly on Tuesday (25 March), MLA Steve Aiken highlighted the increasing prevalence of sheep scab in NI which led to further questioning on sheep support.
UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy said, “It’s extremely disappointing that despite multiple positive engagements with DAERA’s policy team and the AERA committee at the end of 2024, we’re still no further forward in delivering support for our sheep producers. The Minister agreed to establish a sheep-focused co-design group within the Agricultural Policy Stakeholder Group Forum but no tangible progress has been made.
“At the recent NI Assembly, the Minister admitted that staffing resources is to blame for the lack of progress with the sheep support scheme. It’s not the first time we’ve heard that from DAERA, so what are they doing to urgently fix the issue? What steps are being taken so they can get things moving on with sheep support as quickly as possible? DAERA has a responsibility to deliver for all sectors. Sheep producers feel like they’ve been completely devalued since their exclusion from the new sustainable agriculture programme and the casualness of which things are being progressed with the sheep scheme is not helping matters.
“Sheep farmers in NI already operate on some of the lowest incomes in the sector and without direct support, many businesses will struggle to remain viable. In the Republic of Ireland, farmers benefit from up to €25 per ewe through government-backed schemes. It’s very difficult for our sheep farmers to see their counterparts getting the necessary support to thrive, whilst they’re simply trying to make ends meet. It’s not sustainable and its putting NI’s sheep industry at a competitive disadvantage,” said Mr. Cuddy.
The UFU is continuing to raise the need for tackling scab appropriately and effectively.
“When questioned about sheep scab, the Minister acknowledged the issue and suggested that a previous pilot initiative to raise awareness could be revisited. Currently there are limited treatment options for farmers and this is a huge concern as rates are climbing in NI. Sheep scab is one of the most contagious diseases of sheep in the UK. It risks sheep welfare and can have a significant economic impact on the farm business. We need to ensure farmers have appropriate tools to prevent and manage infection.
“The UFU remains committed to working with DAERA and industry stakeholders to ensure sheep farmers get the support they need to have a viable and sustainable business,” said Mr Cuddy.
