president, Ivor Ferguson.
“The issue had been discussed at length at our last two executive meetings,” Ferguson said. “On both occasions, a very clear majority of the members present expressed support for Union policy on the matter. “In addition, members of the presidential team have attended a number of group meetings in counties Antrim and Armagh over recent weeks,” Ferguson continued. “Again, most members in attendance expressed their support for the Union’s Brexit policy.
“The Union does support the Prime Minister’s current attempt to get a Brexit deal across the line,” Ferguson added, noting, “It is the only realistic option on the table at the present time. Leaving the EU with a ‘No Deal’ would have catastrophic consequences for agriculture in Northern Ireland.
“If there was another realistic Brexit plan to consider, then the Union would give it active consideration,” Ferguson concluded. “But that’s not the case.”
Outside of Brexit, Ferguson regards the ammonia emissions issue as the biggest challenge facing farmers in Northern Ireland at the present time.
“The stance taken to date by the province’s Environment Agency is not realistic,” he said. “It will serve only to prevent farm families across Northern Ireland from investing in their futures. Significantly, this point of view has been fully endorsed by the food processing sector. As a result, both the farming and food industries are now speaking with one voice to the Environment Agency on this matter.”
UFU President Ferguson added that the scientific understanding of ammonia emissions from farms is still evolving.
“For one thing, the number of sites currently being monitored is not large enough to provide an accurate picture,” he said, adding, “Farmers know that they will have to do more when it comes to protecting the environment. Historically, they have been the custodians of the countryside. This is a role which they will continue to play.
“Looking at new ways to utilise slurry is an option for the future, in the context of the ammonia emissions debate, but the Environment Agency’s proposal to reduce livestock numbers is an absolute non- starter,” Ferguson continued. “The Union believes that more can be done to increase the scope of production agriculture in a sustainable way.” Ferguson also believes that environmental issues relating to agriculture should be dealt with on an all-island basis.
“Counties Monaghan and Cavan are home to pig populations which exceed that for all of Northern Ireland,” he said. “Both counties also have expansive poultry sectors. Given this situation, the cross-border movement of ammonia emissions emanating from these intensive livestock industries must be considered.”
IN MY OPINION … RICHARD HALLERON We need some new thinking from the IFA
The inability of those involved with the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) to think outside the box can be truly perplexing at times. As we all look forward to the madness that is Brexit, from an Irish perspective, let me try to tease out exactly what I mean.
The IFA, as a single organisation, would never be expected to solve the conundrum that is Brexit. But, surely, it should be able to come up with the odd suggestion that would have a directly beneficial impact on the business prospects for Irish farmers.
We all know that future trade terms with the UK will be critically important for all sectors of Irish agriculture moving forward. What’s already obvious in this regard is that British multiple retailers are keen to highlight the indigenous provenance of the food they are selling. And, with this in mind, they have strongly latched onto the “Red Tractor” farm quality assurance scheme as the means by which this can be achieved. In fact, recent weeks have seen those involved with Red Tractor pushing to have the extent of its scope and influence further widened.
So, here’s my thinking on the matter: why has the IFA not been calling for UK food retailers to officially recognise the equivalence of Bord Bia’s “Origin Green” traceability scheme, where all aspects of food quality assurance are concerned?
Irrespective of what final Brexit deal is arrived at, Britain will remain heavily dependent on food imports. Moreover, putting both Red Tractor and Origin Green on the same official footing would deliver a wide range of benefits to Irish agriculture.
In the first instance, beef producers in Ireland would fully benefit from the Angus and Hereford incentive schemes now operating in the UK. But along with that, it would also serve to solve the problem of store cattle born in the Republic of Ireland losing their identity as soon as they cross the border into Northern Ireland for further finishing. Recent years have seen the dwindling of cross-border live exports, to the total detriment of farmers and marts south of the border. However, the securing of Red Tractor equivalence would allow UK food retailers to market Irish food on the same footing as that produced in the UK.
Getting a Red Tractor deal over the line would be a two-part process: agreeing the principle and then working out if both schemes are singing off the same hymn sheet. Who knows? When the techie guys get to together, it may well turn out that Red Tractor could learn from Origin Green. But if we don’t ask, then we will never know the answers to any of these questions. And that may well be to the detriment of Irish agriculture.
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Alltech.com/ireland AlltechNaturally @Alltech Sarney | Summerhill Road | Dunboyne | Co. Meath FEED COMPOUNDER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 PAGE 25
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