New agri Minister in talks

Date: 12/6/2006
Source: Farming Life

NEW Farm Minister, David Cairns, held a series of meetings with political parties this week.

The DUP delegation, which included Jim Allister MEP and William McCrea MP, MLA, welcomed the news from the Minster that there would be some relaxation to rules allowing trade of animals from Northern Ireland to meat plants in the Republic of Ireland.

The DUP discussed a wide range of issues with the Minister including beef exports, funding for the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme, implementation of the Nitrates Directive and the DARD appeals system. Jim Allister said: "We welcome the announcement from the Minister that it will be easier for exporters to purchase cattle through livestock markets within Northern Ireland and export them directly for slaughter in the Republic of Ireland.

"This rule change should help increase competition in the Northern Ireland beef market, particularly for fat cows, at a time when the Northern Ireland meat plants are cutting the price paid for cattle. At the meeting with the Minister, we pressed for further relaxations to the rules to ensure that more lucrative markets can be tapped into for live exports outside Northern Ireland especially for calves."

The DUP also discussed the latest meeting between DARD and the European Commission regarding the Nitrates Action programme for Northern Ireland and associated Farm Nutrient Management Scheme.

Mr Allister said: "I believe that when the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) recently met with the European Commission there was a strong scientific case presented for the agricultural industry.

"It is vital that there is no weakening of the Northern Ireland position in any future discussions with the Commission. We pressed for the Minister to help lobby in Europe not only to get a good deal with regard to the implementation of the Nitrates Directive and the duration of the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme but in other important issues such as the annual fisheries discussions which take place every December."

The Minister also meet a delegation from the Ulster Farmers' Union, led by UFU president, Kenneth Sharkey. The UFU highlighted to the Minister a number of key issues on behalf of local farmers.

Speaking after the meeting, Kenneth Sharkey said: "We want to establish an immediate working relationship with the Minister and we wish him well in his new position.

"There are a lot of important issues which need urgent attention and our objective has been to give the Minister a farmers view of the current problems facing the industry and the potential solutions."

Among the issues discussed at the UFU meeting with the Minister were: the need to ensure all applicants to the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme are fully funded; resolving the Single Farm Payment 'duplicate fields' problem; and the need for a practical implementation of EU rules overseeing the export of live beef animals from Northern Ireland.

Kenneth Sharkey added: "We have raised several major issues with the Minister, which are affecting the livelihoods of many farmers in Northern Ireland. I am pleased that the Minister has informed us of some changes to the implementation of live export rules, which should assist the industry. However, some of the other issues remain unresolved and this is a concern to me. The UFU will continue to work to find solutions to these on behalf of farmers."