Updated 22/04/15
In March 2013, Northern Ireland was hit by some worst snow that we have seen for more than 60 years. It wrecked havoc on nearly 1,300 farms, mostly in the Glens of Antrim and in the Dromara hills in County Down. Thousands of sheep perished and hundreds of cattle. The UFU were at the immediately out on the ground, doing our best to help our members and then putting intense pressure on the NI Government for assistance.
DARD responded by opening an emergency hotline and drafting in the MOD, the Irish Air Corps and a number of other organisations to bring much needed help and supplies to stranded families and livestock. The loss of livestock hit many farm businesses hard and the UFU were instrumental in getting the Government to agree to cover the cost of the collection and disposal of fallen stock, as well as in the creation and smooth delivery of a hardship fund which provided around £3 million to the 1,300 farmers affected by the snow.
