NE Armagh group focus
A group of NE Armagh members travelled to Dundonald to visit Blakiston Houston Estate recently.
The trip which also combined a lunch at McKees Farm Shop and a tour of Lakeland Dairies, provided a varied insight into businesses closely linked to the industry.
The group heard about the mechanisms Jack Blakiston-Houston and his team have put on the farm to address sustainability, from feed efficiency to generating renewable energy and effective land management.
The afternoon provided a tour of one of Ireland’s leading dairy processing facilities at Lakeland Dairies Newtownards site.
Inheritance tax and farm succession remains a topic of contention for NE Armagh members, so following the budget an evening seminar, supported by ABC Council’s Food Heartland, focused on the potential impact on the farming community.
Solicitor Peter Brown, accountant Seamus McCaffery and NFU Mutual’s financial advisor Norman Butler, shared their wealth of knowledge on both pitfalls and also key considerations and options when considering financial planning and farming for future generations.
There are plenty of activities in the pipeline for 2026 already, with a tour of NC Engineering scheduled for Thursday 29 January at 2pm followed by a visit to the Air Ambulance NI headquarters at the Maze, Lisburn.
Keep your eyes on the NE Armagh Facebook page for any upcoming events or contact the group managers in the Portadown office on 02838 333569 to get involved.