Value of Northern Ireland sheep sector ‘disregarded’ by Future Agricultural Policy

The 54 policy decisions on the Future Agricultural Policy for Northern Ireland were outlined by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots last week.

Included in the document are a Farm Sustainability Payment, Farming with Nature Package, Farming for Carbon and a Beef Sustainability Package.

The NSA has said it is “dismayed by the disregard” for the sheep sector and believes the document dismisses the sector and indicates there are no further proposals for support to incentivise productivity in breeding ewes brought forward at this stage.

This exclusion is of particular importance due to productivity efficiency leading to reduced carbon footprints.
NSA Northern Ireland Development Officer, Edward Adamson, commented: “A population of more than 968,000 breeding ewes on Northern Ireland farms support rural businesses, communities, biodiversity and the landscape iconic to Ireland.

“To disregard the value of this sector is short-sighted.

“Supporting one sector in favour of another has the potential to distort the marketplace and the balance between cattle and sheep.

“The decision also has the potential to damage the Northern Ireland wool market.

“It is hard to understand why sheep have not been treated on an equivalent per hectare basis as beef cattle.”
Consultation responses to the Northern Ireland proposals clearly made the point that sheep play an integral role in maintaining landscapes, including a specific recognition of the uplands, and providing a host of wider public goods.

Many respondents indicated support was needed for the sector to help improve health and welfare, invest in genetics and improve the quality of the Northern Irish sheep flock.
NSA Chief Executive, Phil Stocker, stated: “The lack of consideration for an already vulnerable sector in Northern Ireland, operating within a volatile marketplace, will have far reaching consequences.

“NSA is dismayed about the omission when we know the contribution sheep farming makes and are clear about what can be done to take the sector forward.

“NSA would encourage DAERA to look again at these decisions and extend tailored support to the sheep sector from the outset.

“NSA would like to see the Ruminant Genetics Programme being open to the beef and sheep sector at the same time, and a package of measures to incentivise enhanced sheep health and welfare outcomes.”

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