Farming at centre of Lough Neagh clean-up plan

Replying to a question from MLA Tom Elliott, chair of the Stormont agriculture committee, the Minister insisted that he wants to work with farmers to resolve the issues.

Mr Muir outlined to the Assembly on Tuesday some of the measures he is proposing ahead of the Executive approving his environmental improvement plan, which includes 37 measures in total.

Twenty of these come solely within the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Support, and the Minister said he is pressing ahead with these.

The report proposes that actions are grouped within four key pillars:

Education: empowering knowledge and skills, and encouraging best practice;

Incentivisation: aimed at motivating and funding actions that will drive the adoption of behavioural change;

Regulation: the statutory obligation to protect the quality of our water;

Enforcement: taking strong action against offenders.

Mr Muir told MLAs: “That sequencing reflects the principle of early intervention: take action first, to try to make sure that problems do not occur or get worse, and do that through education, incentivising the right behaviours and effective regulation.

"However, have no doubt: where enforcement is needed because people are not complying with the conditions of funding, or are breaking the law, my department and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”

Many of the Minister’s actions impact directly on farmers, including:- Optimising nutrient application on farm through water quality monitoring outreach events building on the soil analysis and runoff risk mapping within the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme;

- Providing training in compliance and environmental performance to slurry spreading contractors;

- Farm sustainability training and advisory campaigns, ensuring that these incorporate actions to promote experiential learning;

- A Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Phase 2 project to improve the sustainable utilisation of livestock slurry and develop demonstrator sites to process livestock manure/slurry;

- Establish and deliver a Livestock Dietary Emissions Challenge through the Defra-Led Dairy Demonstrator Project to formulate and test on farm livestock diets which reduce ammonia emissions, phosphorus losses and greenhouse gas in dairy herds;

- Expansion of the Sustainable Catchment Programme into more Lough Neagh catchment areas to diffuse nutrient losses from agricultural sources;

- Delivery of a Farming with Nature package;

- Environmental Management Plans for farms;

- Revising the Nutrients Action Programme to reduce the nutrient losses to water from agricultural sources;

- Establish a DAERA group to develop a proposed response to the excess nutrient problem;

- Consult with stakeholders on a new regulatory framework for the processing of slurry to reduce land spreading of excess phosphorus.

Mr Muir told the Assembly: “Put simply, we have a problem with slurry and manure. There is too much of it, and it is part of the cause of the nutrient overload in Lough Neagh.

"My vision is to, instead, view slurry and manure as a resource that is processed sustainably, generating, for example, electricity plus by-products for export.

"We can do that because there are many examples of such practices already in action. We will also establish and deliver a livestock dietary emissions challenge through the DEFRA-led dairy demonstrator project, to formulate and test on-farm livestock diets that reduce ammonia emissions, phosphorus losses and greenhouse gases in dairy herds. It is anticipated that contracts will be awarded very soon.”Mr Muir said it would be unfair and wrong to castigate farmers for problems built up over years as it was the government that needed to take responsibility.

The new farm support programme would prioritise and drive approaches that benefit the environment, address ammonia and phosphorus related issues, reduce the risk of pollution and help deliver the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions required by law while supporting the agri-food sector, he said.

“It will also include a farming with nature package to support farmers in efforts to protect and enhance water quality and reduce the risk of pollution arising from farmed land,” said the Minister.He added: “My department and I, as Minister, are passionately determined to do that in partnership with farmers, processors, environmental NGOs and others.

"Strong relationships are key to doing that, and I will not be found wanting in prioritising dialogue and engagement, nor will I seek to dodge difficult issues and look to kick cans down the road.

"It is important to be straight and clear with farmers about the science and the evidence as it presents itself and about what is needed to fix the challenges that we face together.

"To do otherwise would be disingenuous. I owe it to each and every farmer in Northern Ireland, the banks that lend to them and our supply chains to achieve a future in which the farming press oozes positivity every week and there is strong competition to get into farming as the career of choice for more and more people.”

The Minister said he was committed to improving water quality, addressing the challenges in Lough Neagh and tackling blue green algae. However, while his department has allocated £7.5 million towards what he admits will be a long-term goal, further investment will be needed in both the short and longer term, he said.