Busy year for members in East Tyrone

Once again it has proven an extremely busy year for the East Tyrone Group.
Ulster Farmers Union President Barclay Bell, Vice Presidents Ivor Ferguson and Victor Chesnutt, with Billy & Glynis Amrstrong who hosted the East Tyrone Presidential visit at their Home farm outside Stewartstown.Ulster Farmers Union President Barclay Bell, Vice Presidents Ivor Ferguson and Victor Chesnutt, with Billy & Glynis Amrstrong who hosted the East Tyrone Presidential visit at their Home farm outside Stewartstown.
Ulster Farmers Union President Barclay Bell, Vice Presidents Ivor Ferguson and Victor Chesnutt, with Billy & Glynis Amrstrong who hosted the East Tyrone Presidential visit at their Home farm outside Stewartstown.

The group started the year with a meeting from Allan Hopps, senior Dairy advisor with DARD, and Eamon Gallogly from SWARD where the discussion for the evening was surrounding farm business investments schemes and non-agri diversification funding opportunities.

During the February meeting we held our AGM at Ashfield & Wilson Ltd in Dungannon. Members enjoyed a presentation from Andrew Farquhar on the history of the company and Ross Allingham provided information on fork lift and tele-handler training that Ashfield & Wilson provide to customers.

March saw East Tyrone and South Tyrone members travel to the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday 30th April for the Ulster v Leinster rugby match. An enjoyable family day was had by all those attending.

East Tyrone members were the first group to hold presidential meetings with the UFU presidential team of Barclay Bell, Ivor Ferguson and Victor Chestnutt at the home of Billy and Glynis Armstrong just outside Stewarstown on Friday, 27th May. The presidential team discussed openly farm gate prices, the future of farming within Northern Ireland, the introduction of young farmers into farming families, plus Single farm Payments amongst many other current issues affecting the farming community. Members were able to have a question and answer session with the Presidential team, and a special thanks to Glynis and Billy for their excellent hospitality at this event.

Preparation is well under way for the winter programme for 2016-2017; the programme will include a family cookery evening, farm visit and Inheritance tax and succession planning meetings. Members will receive their finalised programme through the post at the end of the summer season.

Entries for Winter Barley in the UFU cereals competition have now closed but entries for Spring Barley, Oats and Winter Wheat will still be open right up to the deadline of noon on Wednesday, 20th July.

Contact the group office on 028 867 62632 if you would like to enter, or if you have any membership queries or are interested in becoming a member please do not hesitate to contact us on 028 867 62632 or [email protected]