UFU raises concerns over axing of Farm Gate

UFU president David Brown said: “We have been told that BBC are planning to remove Farm Gate from its slot on Good Morning Ulster’s weekday programme.

"I’m gutted and angered that this important output that caters to our rural communities has been utterly devalued by those with decision making powers within our public broadcasting service. Considering that the agri-food industry is responsible for producing the food we eat, managing our landscape, provides employment, boosts tourism and contributes £6 billion to the NI economy annually, the BBC needs to seriously reevaluate what message this is sending.

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time our rural communities have been left worrying about this service being removed and their confidence in the BBC is at an all time low.

"As a public broadcasting service which rural communities support through their TV licence the same as everyone else in society, the BBC has a duty to inform and educate them on matters of interest,” added Mr Brown.

“By axing Farm Gate, BBC would be isolating rural and farming families. There is no other programme in NI that delivers information on agriculture ranging from policy to farmgate prices and vital information on support for farm businesses.

"Farm Gate is a familiar voice for farmers and offers company as well as necessary information. The range of content that Farm Gate delivers would not be deemed ‘newsworthy’ by other news broadcasters on a daily basis. Therefore, the BBC would be removing a vital channel of communication which will impact our farmers and urban listeners who are interested in rural affairs.

“We urge the BBC to treat this matter of concern with urgency and to rethink their plans to cut Farm Gate from Radio Ulster.

"Our farmers and members of the rural community across NI need to contact the public broadcaster to air their worries about this service being axed. We deserve to have a voice within the BBC and for us, that is Farm Gate.”

To send a complaint to BBC, please visit the following link, https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/Complaint. Select ‘radio programmes/schedule’ as the matter of the complaint, and ‘BBC Radio Ulster’ as the radio station.

In response to the comments, a BBC spokesperson said: “We understand the importance of news stories about farming and agri-business and why they matter to BBC audiences.

"How we gather and report stories is always developing, and a wider strategic review of our newsgathering and output is currently underway.

"All of this is about making the best use of technology and our region-wide presence to serve BBC audiences into the future. The needs and interests of rural communities will remain central to our news and other programming.”And we will let audiences and stakeholders know about any changes to BBC output once these plans have been finalised.”