UFU chief tells of concern over the breakdown of EEC summit (1983)

“Although we were most unhappy with the original proposals published at the end of July, we believed that more acceptable arrangements could have been negotiated,” said Mr Bailie.

“We were anxious to see progress towards a solution to the support arrangements which would not have discriminated against our producers. At the same time, we were in support of the view that the net budget contribution to the EEC by the United Kingdom was inequitable, and the Prime Minister’s anxiety to have this matter ironed out as a priority is understandable. It has been our view that there must be some increase in the level of contributions to the EEC budget from all member states, but this must be dependent upon a fair division of the net costs.”

The UFU president said that his visit to Athens the previous week had been useful, in that it had provided an unusually good opportunity for him to become involved in individual discussions with farmer representatives from the other member states, outside the forum of the COPA Praesidium itself.

“This can only lead to a much better understanding of each others problems,” he said. “And I believe it will have contributed to an even better knowledge by COPA of the special difficulties for farmers in remote areas of the community such as Northern Ireland.”

Mr Bailie expressed serious concern about the impact of the summit breakdown on the 1984 price fixing.

He said that he believed that unless there was a remarkable change of heart by member governments over the financial difficulties, it was probable that the price proposals would be abnormally delayed.

“This will add financial difficulties to the existing uncertainties and will be reflected throughout the economy of Northern Ireland,” he said.

Increase in dairy herd: Significant increases in the numbers of dairy cows, sheep and table poultry, relatively little change in the numbers of beef cows and pigs and sharp declines in the numbers of most other poultry items are confirmed in the results of the June 1983 agricultural census, which was published during this week in 1983.

And the cereal area declined, again in spite of considerably increased areas of winter grown cereals, while the potato area also fell, according to the figures.

A Department of Agriculture spokesman explained that the trends in most items followed those indicated by the preliminary results.

As indicated by the preliminary results, there was a five per cent expansion in dairy cow numbers between June 1982 and 1983. They totalled 294,000, with all of the increase occurring in the number of cows in milk.

Dairy heifers in-calf also increased, by just two per cent to 58,300. The final results showed the beef breeding herd to have declined to 194,000 cows, a fall of two percent.

This compared with a virtually static position indicated in the preliminary results, but was by far the smallest June to June decline for six years.

The decrease, noted Farming Life, was mainly in the number of beef cows in-calf but not in milk, which fell by nine per cent to 26,300, while beef cows in milk remained almost unchanged at 168,000. The number of beef heifers in-calf rose by three per cent to 24,500.

Most other cattle categories rose in number leaving total cattle numbers, at 1.47 million, three per cent up on June 1982.

The expansion in sheep numbers. has been maintained, although at a slightly lower rate than in the previous year.

At 670,000 ewes the breeding ewe flock was seven per cent higher than at June 1982, compared with a nine per cent rise in the previous year.

Rams, ram lambs and other sheep under one-year-old all increased in number.

Other sheep one-year-old and over fell by nine per cent to 47,200 but, at 1.32 million, total sheep numbers were seven per cent above the June 1982 level.

The female pig breeding herd, at June 1983, totalled 69,500 sows, just one per cent below the June 1982 level.