Ulster Farmers’ Union President Ian Marshall has said that farmers are concerned over the latest developments in the NI Water pension dispute and how the withdrawal of emergency cover could put animal welfare on farms in jeopardy.
Ian Marshall said: “With the weather turning colder, farmers are worried that the strike action to withdraw emergency cover could cause major problems especially if a farm experiences a fault or disruption to water supply. I can’t stress enough the importance a consistent water supply to a farming business, especially to those with pig, poultry and dairy farms and while many of these farms usually have an alternative or back up supply the disruption to service could very quickly become a serious animal welfare issue, which I’m sure no one would want to see. A fault in water supply is a very serious situation for a farm business and the withdrawal of emergency cover only adds additional unnecessary pressure to an already stressful experience.”
