McAleer highlights critical support gap facing ANC farmers
Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer has highlighted the vital role of Areas with Natural Constraints (ANCs) in supporting the agricultural sector, rural communities and environment.
Evidence presented to the AERA Committee by the Nature Friendly Farming Network and Northern Ireland Environment Link highlighted how ANC areas are the backbone of the red meat industry, sustaining farming businesses in some of the most challenging landscapes while supporting many of the region’s most important habitats and environmental assets.
The evidence also highlighted a potential double threat facing these areas, with intensification of farming in some locations and land abandonment in others if appropriate support is not maintained.
Speaking after the committee, the party's agriculture spokesperson said: ''There is a clear gap in support for ANC farmers, who face a number of structural disadvantages, including lower entitlement values, the cessation of progress towards a flat-rate payment, which particularly affected ANC areas, and the loss of the former ANC Scheme.
''This has been compounded by a 17% reduction in the Farm Sustainability Payment budget to fund the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme, a scheme from which many ANC farmers have derived comparatively limited benefit.
''The environmental contribution of these farmers is equally significant. Around 85.2% of mapped Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) Higher Level land is located within the Severely Disadvantaged Area (SDA).
''However, evidence provided by stakeholders providing evidence to the committee on ANC bill highlighted that many ANC farmers managing priority habitats, designated sites and other environmental assets cannot currently access equivalent higher-tier support, as replacement schemes have yet to be fully established.''