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Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer has said the reduction of funding from Environmental Farming Scheme as a result of Brexit is impacting farmers’ efforts to reduce their emissions.

Speaking on this, the party’s agriculture spokesperson said: “The Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) has been critical in supporting farmers to make their farms more environmentally sustainable.

“The total budget allocation of £69 million to farmers in the North since the scheme's inception underlines its value.

“However, the budget for 2024-25 is a reduction of more than half compared with 2020-21.

Declan McAleer MLA. (Photo: Pacemaker Press)

“Before Brexit, much of the funding for environmental schemes like the EFS came from a dedicated sustainable farming EU budget. This is no longer the case since Brexit.”

Mr McAleer continued: “The British government must put in place guaranteed, long-term agricultural funding to secure the future of farming and their efforts to be sustainable.

“Sinn Féin will continue to fight for fairer funding for to support environmentally sustainable farming.”

British government must replace lost EU funding for Environmental Farming Scheme - McAleer