The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has welcomed clarity around the direction of travel within the new Farm Support and Development programme, following the announcement yesterday (19 June) by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Commenting, UFU president David Brown said, “The new programme of Farm Support and Development aims to deliver benefits for land, livestock, infrastructure and communities through a range of new schemes and measures. The UFU has been part of the co-design process of the new future NI agriculture policy along with other stakeholders. It is positive to get concrete timelines in place for farmers and a clear pathway on schemes such as the Ruminant Genetics Programme and the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme.
“DAERA stated that there will be no change to the application process for the Basic Payment Scheme in 2023 and 2024. It is now critical that going forward, DAERA effectively communicates with farmers about the new schemes and measures that will be phased in over the next number of years. This is vital to help ensure the sustainability of our unique family farm structure in NI as we move forward, delivering for the environment, local communities and consumers.”
