MP hits out at Minister’s plans to power head with NAP consultation

The Upper Bann MP said: “It is very obvious that Minister Muir isn’t listening and is intent on pressing ahead with his own agenda. He had a chance to do things properly – he didn’t take it! As a result, farmers in Northern Ireland remain tied up in uncertainty over the Nutrients Action Programme.

“The NAP proposals, in the current format, attracted unprecedented criticism and backlash from across the entire agri-food sector in Northern Ireland. We saw a huge turnout at the Greenmount rally, industry stakeholders penned a letter voicing their opposition to the proposals, while Stormont MLAs united (52 votes to 23) in support of the DUP’s ‘Scrap the NAP’ motion.

“All this, coupled with the threat of legal action, and still the DAERA Minister is powering ahead with a set of proposals that are based on questionable figures, and deemed, unrealistic and unworkable at farm level.

“His latest idea is to set up a stakeholder group and conduct a draft economic impact assessment, after the current consultation ends on 24th July. The new group will report later this year, and this will be followed by another 8-week consultation. It’s convoluted, it’s reactive, and it leaves farm businesses in limbo with an economic impact assessment being carried out on what proposals exactly?”

Carla Lockhart added: “This feels like an attempt to save face rather than build trust. You don’t consult first, then assess the damage. And you certainly don’t let deeply flawed proposals remain while claiming to be listening.

“The Minister has had numerous opportunities to rip the plaster off and admit the process had gone wrong. Instead, it’s been made more complicated, more confusing, and frankly, more damaging.

“He talks about openness and transparency, but his actions show otherwise. If Minister Muir genuinely wanted to work with the sector, he would have scrapped what’s currently on the table and started afresh with proper economic analysis and stakeholder involvement from day one. He has also wasted numerous opportunities for face-to-face engagement with farmers.”

Ms Lockhart continued: “I have stood firmly against the damaging NAP proposals from the outset. These complex measures will ultimately force de-stocking, push farmers to rent or buy more land, and set impossible targets which will have far-reaching consequences across the entire agri-food industry and the economy.

“Just over a week ago, I met with Minister Muir at Clare House in Belfast. I made it very clear that he should stop the current consultation and take the NAP proposals off the table. Full Stop!”

Ms Lockhart confirmed that the online ‘Scrap the NAP’ petition, presented to Stormont by her party colleague Michelle McIlveen MLA, received over 5,000 signatures.

To date, the NAP consultation has received almost 200 responses. The Upper Bann MP is appealing to farmers, especially those operating intensive livestock enterprises, to take time to complete the online consultation. The closing date for submissions is 11.59pm on Thursday, 24th July 2025.

The consultation can be accessed via https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk