Support may not be forthcoming

Referring to the options that lie ahead for farming and food over the coming days, he said: “The UFU is doing everything it can to get our industry through this pandemic and is involved in numerous meetings daily.

“We must stress however, that we have no guarantee that financial support will be forthcoming from government and we must prepare to face that challenge should it become a reality.”

The Union’s president did not detail what steps the organisation will take if government comes up dry, where a financial support scheme is concerned.

However he did confirm that UFU office bearers are working around the clock to garner support for an aid package. This ongoing effort includes intensive discussions with Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) officials.

He added: “The focus in Northern Ireland over the past few weeks has been to keep the supply chain operating particularly at processing level, so that we could keep product moving off farms.”

“The absenteeism in our processors has now improved and has stabilised at just under nine percent.

“During this time, we have in conjunction with our local NI Government been preparing a contingency scheme which would have provided absolute worst-case scenario funding for 10 weeks, producer and disposal support for our dairy, pigs, poultry and ornamental horticulture sectors.
“While we’re very keen to do all that we can to improve the functioning of the retail market in particular and are fully supportive of a major promotional and marketing initiative, our collective Northern Ireland focus has now also turned to a possible market:income support initiative for our grass based livestock sectors.”

Ferguson concluded: “From industry discussions with the DAERA Minister, we’re currently working on a single justifiable case on the high bar ‘survivability’ challenge for these sectors, which we understand the Chancellor and Treasury require.”

Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (AERA) spokesperson Rosemary Barton has asked Northern Ireland’s farm minister Edwin Poots for further information on his analysis of the 20% of stock that may have to remain on-farm for an additional three months and the cost of £105 million to the industry.

Barton added: “I welcome the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs being pro-active in relation to this matter. Other businesses have received or are going to receive the Business Support Grant or the Hospitality, Tourism & Retail Grant. During all of this the farming community have continued to produce their products and manage to play their vital role in the food supply chain.

“This has been done in a situation where the livestock marts have closed, beef and lamb prices have tumbled, milk prices are steadily reducing, and to add insult to injury we hear of a processor bringing in Polish beef to supply a UK supermarket.

“It is important that farmers are given some knowledge of what is expected in the near future, therefore I have asked the Minister to put some detail onto the information that was contained in the brief that the AERA Committee received last week, I have requested the following information:

“In the 8 April written briefing DAERA indicate that 20% of stock will not be moving off farms for around 3 months from April, I have asked if the Department envisage animals being required to be slaughtered and disposed off without being sold, and if they believe that milk may be have to be dumped.

“In the same briefing DAERA indicated it had submitted a bid for £105 million for farming/animal welfare issues. I am keen that they provide further details of how this bid of £105 million is comprised.”