Minister for Agriculture Edwin Poot has come under fire by Stormont’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) committee chairman, Declan McAleer, who highlights that future agricultural policy proposals look sketchy in key areas.
Minister Poot recently published a consultation on future agriculture policy proposals centred around themes of productivity, environmental sustainability, improved resilience and a responsive supply chain.
McAleer asserts that whilst the policy does provide details of the proposed resilience and headage measures, “it lacks concrete proposals in areas such as environmental measures and generational renewal.”
He goes on to say, “I am also deeply concerned about how this new policy will be funded, given that we have been taken out of the EU.”
The chairman also draws attention to the £300 million single farm payment budget referenced in the agriculture minister’s policy discussion document, which is not guaranteed by Westminster beyond the current mandate which ends in 2024.
This he feels “introduces even more uncertainty for future planning on top of the other Brexit-related challenges, such as the impact of international trade deals on the industry locally.”
“Through the AERA committee, I will be asking the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to elaborate on its draft plans, and I strongly encourage farmers and everyone with an interest in agriculture, environment and rural affairs to have their say in the consultation before the February 15 deadline,”
LSL News.