Motion: Farm Food Production in Northern Ireland

"That this Council acknowledges the high standard of farm food production  in Northern Ireland.

Given the squeezed farm gate product prices, the increasing farm input costs, increased farm inspection standards, unnecessary disruption due to Northern Ireland Protocol, and pressure to remove Northern Ireland farmland from production, there appears to be significant attempts by government and independent agencies to pressurise farmers out of  business.

We welcome and support the Ulster Farmers Union request for the reinstatement of the Areas of Natural Constraint funding.

Council is concerned at the significant over-burden on farmers of potential  additional inspections and bureaucracy by government and non-government agencies.

We are particularly concerned at some of the new proposals contained      within the Red Tractor Scheme as being over-bureaucratic and call on all the inspection agencies to work together to ensure proper farm standards are maintained without an over-burden of inspections and bureaucracy.

Further this Council will write to the Minister of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs, Farm Quality Assurance Scheme and the Red Tractor  Scheme with these concerns and requests."