Agriculture in Northern Ireland has been relegated to the slow lane

A quick look at what’s happening south of the border is sufficient to justify this point being made. Farmers there are now enjoying a fully funded Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) deal that is in train for the next seven years.

However, in tandem with this, we are also seeing the commitment of significant national funding by Dublin towards a growing range of farming-related initiatives.

Over the past number of weeks alone Ireland’s farm minister, Charlie McConalogue, has agreed a €200 headage payment of all suckler cows and a national liming programme that delivers a subsidy of €16/t on all lime spread.

There is also little doubt that McConalogue will act to deliver additional support for Ireland’s arable farmers over the coming months.

Meanwhile, here in NI, farmers face a future of absolute uncertainty. The current single payment support measures run their course in 12 months’ time. Yes former farm minister Edwin Poots had agreed a general future support framework for the industry prior to him leaving office.

However, given the current politics of Westminster, there is no certainty that current farm funding levels will be retained. But, to be honest, maintaining the status quo just isn’t good enough.

And, of course, no mention at all has been made of retaining the current rural development measures, the Brussels’ funding for which will run out in the very near future. But most concerning of all is the growing ability of the Irish government to nationally fund bespoke projects for agriculture, which meet a specific need at a specific point in time. In theory, similar provisions could be delivered in Northern Ireland, if a functioning Stormont Executive was in place. Failing that, London would have to act. But I wouldn’t be counting on that!