Farm Business meeting is a hit

Barclay Bell visiting George and Andrew Sloan at their family farm in Portadown, which has been affected by the adverse winter weather.

A popular meeting, which was attended by in excess of 80 members was hosted by Alan Hopps, Senior Dairying Development Adviser for DARD. Alan provided an overview of the Farm Business Improvement grant scheme, which many farmers were clearly very interested in exploring further.

Group managers, keen to grow membership for the group, attended Mullahead Ploughing Match. This turned out to be a great day for catching up with farmers from both near and far, taking a rare day off from their daily farming duties.

In March Barclay Bell, then UFU Deputy President, visited some members’ farms in North-East Armagh to see first hand the severe damage caused to grassland as a result of the winter floods. Barclay was keen to listen to members’ farming issues and concerns; views which he will inevitably take forward and address during his first term as President. The NE Armagh Group would like to wish Barclay all the best in his new role.

Barclay Bell visiting Roy Allen in the aftermath of the winter floods

The committee will be meeting in June to discuss upcoming activities that will make up the 2016/2017 North East Armagh winter programme. Chairman, John McCullagh is keen to see a varied programme of events that will appeal to the whole farming family. He encourages members to put forward their ideas and suggestions to the group office as new activities would be greatly welcomed.

The group would also like to remind members that the UFU cereal competition will soon be approaching again and any members wishing to enter their crops, should contact the office following the launch.

For members intending to go to the Balmoral Show this year, tickets can still be purchased at a discounted rate from the NE Armagh Group office.