Comment:It has been an ‘uber positive’ month for local agriculture
May 2025 will go down in the history books as a landmark month for agriculture in Northern Ireland.
The sun shone from dawn to dusk, day-after-day and Balmoral Show was a resounding success. But these facts only scratch the surface of affairs.
The month in question saw the UK and the EU forge new trading links, many of which will serve to open up enhanced market opportunities for farming and food businesses here in Northern Ireland.
And, in addition, there are early signs that the recently signed UK: US trade deal could open new export opportunities for food processing businesses across Northern Ireland, particularly where beef is concerned.
Freedom to trade is akin to a rising tide, which floats all boats. Meanwhile, food commodity markets around the globe remain strong. And there is every opportunity of this remaining the case well into the future.
The world is short of food. And the laws of supply and demand have kicked in accordingly. One of the key messages coming to the fore over the past fortnight has been the confirmation from food retailers that farmers must be paid sustainable prices for the food they produce.
This was one of the key message emanating from the likes of Marks & Spencer at Balmoral Show 2025.
UK food self sufficiency levels have dropped back to a very concerning 65%. This is an alarming fact. Of equal significance is the reality that farm output in Northern Ireland accounts for one fifth of the total food produced in the UK.
Local farmers are currently feeding the equivalent of 10M people. And the scope to increase level of output further is immense.
But this will only happen if the Stormont Executive makes food production a priority, from a policy perspective.
And the good news here is that farmers can drive down greenhouse gas emission levels and produce more food at the same time. It’s all about increasing efficiency levels within production agriculture.