DAERA to move forward with sheep-focused co-design work 'when staff resource is available to do so'

Mr McAleer’s calls follow the DAERA Minister’s response to a recent written question asking him to outline any progress made on the development of a sheep scheme, and to explain how staffing resource can be justified as “a barrier to its implementation”.

Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said: “Whilst it is planned that sheep-focused co-design will take place via the established Agricultural Policy Stakeholder Group forum, work on this has been paused at present due to competing priorities.

“A number of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme measures will, however, be available to sheep farmers, including the planned Farm Sustainability Transition Payment, Carbon Footprinting Project, Farming for Sustainability-Knowledge Transfer, Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme and Farming with Nature as they come on stream.”

Mr Muir added: “It has been necessary over recent months to prioritise staffing resource to progress key elements of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme and we will move forward with the sheep-focused co-design work when staff resource is available to do so.”

Reacting to the minister’s response to his written question, Mr McAleer said he believes it is important that the minister comes forward with a scheme to support the sheep industry.

“A lot of farmers I have met are deeply disappointed that such a scheme is not included in the Sustainable Agriculture Programme,” the West Tyrone MLA stated.

“They rightly feel it is unfair that their farm payment is being top sliced to fund other schemes which they are not eligible to apply for.

“In addition to this, many sheep farms are in Areas of Natural Constraint where they feel the disproportionate impact of climate and poor land and these farmers are further dismayed that the minister has not included an ANC scheme as part of the new programme.”

Mr McAleer concluded: “Sinn Féin is calling on the minister to being forward a sheep support scheme as part of the new Sustainable Agriculture Programme.”