Food & Farming Group Input
College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Update
Further Education programmes at CAFRE re-commenced on 14 September 2020, with Higher Education programmes on 21 September 2020. A blended approach has been adopted for the delivery of the programmes with face-to-face delivery of the practical elements of the programmes, combined with remote learning for lectures, where appropriate using digital learning technologies.
CAFRE have developed new working procedures and risk assessments across the three campuses, in line with the Public Health Agency (PHA) advice and Government guidance, as part of the CAFRE Response Plan to facilitate the delivery of its programmes whilst ensuring the safety and well-being of staff, students, those working in the agri-food industry, their families and the wider community. In some practical situations, where it is not possible to adhere to the social distancing guidelines, the use of face coverings will be implemented.
A phased return of face-to-face delivery of the Knowledge and Technology programmes by CAFRE to Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry commenced in August 2020, with the delivery of one-to-one technical and business development advice and the commencement of Business Development Groups Scheme training events. The delivery of advisory support has been further enhanced with the introduction of both face-to-face and online industry training and technology transfer events in September, including Farm Family Key Skills Scheme training events at venues which can accommodate the required social distancing protocols.
Update on Sector Support Schemes
The Agricultural Commodities (Coronavirus, Income Support) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2020 for dairy, beef and sheep sectors opened on the 7th September and closes on the 23rd September 2020. When the scheme closed 11,177 applications had been received representing £18.18 M committed. Payments are expected to be made in wc 28th September. The scheme was opened to the potato sector on the 9th September and closes on the 30th September 2020. To date 8 applications have been received and work is ongoing to encourage as many eligible potato businesses to submit their applications as soon as possible.
The Ornamental Horticulture Industry (Coronavirus, Financial Assistance) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2020 is expected to open in early October.
The residual funding from the £25M (£3.6M) and the £3.6M that was reprioritised from within the Department is being held for potential allocations of support should COVID-19 present future challenges in the weeks ahead.
Update on Essential Legislation
The UKG Agriculture Bill has been through the Report Stage, at the House of Lords, which is where Members look at principle issues, see where there have been commitments given or where there might be areas requiring further probing. The next step is the third reading, a further chance for the Lords to discuss and amend the Bill as it nears conclusion. Third reading in the Lords is the chance for members to ‘tidy up’ a bill, concentrating on making sure the eventual law is effective and workable –without loopholes.
Update on Essential Finance or Budget information
Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP)
The fourth Tranche of the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) Wider element closed on Friday 11 September with 355 applications. This is a significant decrease from previous Tranches. It is difficult to be definitive about the reason for this decline but it is inevitable that a range of factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic will have contributed in part. DAERA is currently considering the implications of this decrease and continuing to investigate the possibility of further EFS Tranches.
Direct Payments for 2020
Work has progressed on the necessary checks to allow direct payments to farmers for the 2020 scheme year. The Department is in a position to commence payments on 16th October. This will be the first year that farmers will start to receive 100% of the payment to which they are entitled in October.
Veterinary Service & Animal Health Group
Delivery of Official Controls and Other Official Activities
The delivery of veterinary public health official controls, that is, ante mortem and post mortem inspections, verification of food business operators’ compliance with hygiene, animal health and welfare requirements continues in all slaughterhouses. All slaughterhouses are working normally.
VSAHG officials continue to actively engage with the Public Health Agency (PHA), Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the industry to ensure adherence with PHA advice and guidance in all food processing establishments.
The majority of statutory animal health and welfare surveillance/testing/inspections have recommenced.
Agri food Inspection Branch (AfIB) has resumed most on–farm official control inspection work on a pre-notified basis. These inspections, including dairy hygiene and primary production hygiene, are being carried out in line with PHA guidance on COVID-19.
Announced on-site inspections and remote inspections for official controls on traceability and food and feed safety are taking place at non-farm premises on a risk basis and in line with Health and Safety requirements.
Animal By-Products
All animal by-product inspections and on farm feed sampling for processed animal protein have recommenced and are being delivered in line with the relevant COVID-19 advice and guidance.
Current position
VSAHG officials are engaged with industry to assist development of their contingency plans in the event of a covid-19 outbreak within slaughterhouses.
Trade Export Certification
From the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of easements in relation to export health certificates for exports of live animals and products of animal origin to various countries have been introduced. Such arrangements help to minimise the need for face-to-face interaction between private veterinary practitioners, exporters and DAERA staff.
Third country export health certification easements remain in place with Australia, Canada, China, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Myanmar, North Macedonia, Philippines, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States of America (USA).
White paper export health certificates continue to make up more than 50% of the total of third country export certificates issued in Northern Ireland.
Current position
- Further easements were agreed with New Zealand and commenced on the 16th September.
- Due to the Covid-19 outbreak at Cranswick Country Foods (CCF) in Ballymena, the Chinese authorities have delisted CCF for export of pork and pork products to China. Chinese requirements around Covid-19 are stringent and DAERA officials are working with Defra, as the lead Government Department for international trade, and British Embassy colleagues on both the specific issue of seeking relisting for CCF and in dealing with the wider Chinese requirements to minimise disruption of exports and ensure the continuation of UK trade with China.
Update on Essential Legislation
Work on essential legislation continues. Given the potential for COVID related absences, there remains a risk to the progress of that legislation.
Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Environment, Marine & Fisheries Group
Environment update
Waste Management Collection, Storage and Processing
As of the 22 September 2020, there are 91 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) open across Northern Ireland while all local Councils have resumed bulky waste collections and municipal litter and street cleansing operations, although some of these services are on a restricted basis in some areas. Many sites have now moved to winter opening hours.
Feedback from councils is that they are putting in place contingency plans to ensure HWRCs and waste services continue through various different scenarios, e.g. local lockdowns, national lockdown or a second wave of the virus resulting in staff shortages.
Maintaining Drinking Water Quality
DWI and NIEA have been working with NI Water to agree their Rollback Plan to re-introduce regulatory monitoring of drinking water and waste water again. NI Water returned to 90% of their regulatory monitoring for drinking water and 100% of their waste water monitoring from 1 July 2020. NIEA have agreed to extend the Wastewater Sampling Regulatory Position Statement until January 2021 and this can be used by NI Water if required.
Regulatory monitoring of private water supply sites continues in all 11 council areas. DWI continue to work through a revised monitoring schedule to prioritise premises that were temporarily closed or missed due to COVID-19 restrictions and to ensure that all samples will be completed by the end of the year. Advice on steps to take to ensure the water quality is maintained is issued to businesses as they reopen in advance of samples being collected. DWI continues to work with councils to establish a revised programme for risk assessments of the private water supply to be completed at all remaining sites.
DEFRA have approached NIEA to take part in a research project for Covid-19 in wastewater. NIEA are currently scoping the possibilities of extending the research within Northern Ireland. The research will monitor wastewater for Covid-19. The monitoring results would be used in conjunction with other research to provide early warning of a resurgence in the virus. Queens University have applied to the Department of Economy for the rapid response funding to fund the research. NI Water, Queens University and NIEA have met to discuss logistics on sampling requirements and analysis in advance of commencing.
Bathing Waters and Other Marine Monitoring Programmes
The Bathing Water programme has been run at a reduced level due to Covid-19 related restrictions (lab capacity, shielding requirements and childcare). This represents a 75% reduction on the usual annual programme which may have an impact on overall compliance, which is calculated on a 4 yearly rolling assessment. This is currently being considered.
Future Viability of Environmental NGOs
The Minister launched an £800,000 environmental challenge fund competition to enable eNGOs and councils to bid to deliver priority natural environmental projects for nature recovery and connecting people to the environment. Applicants will begin to be informed of outcomes from the start of October.
Country Parks and Nature Reserves
The Woodlands Café at Crawfordsburn Country Park is temporarily closed (as at 23 September) until the concession holder obtains clarification from appropriate authorities regarding how they should deal with a Covid related incident.
Tourism NI’s “Get into Nature” campaign in partnership with DAERA’s MyNI digital marketing team and other partners is progressing well.
Update on Essential Legislation: Environment Bill
Westminster Committee Stage is expected to resume after summer recess. Currently scheduled to report by 29 September 2020.
Update on Essential Finance or Budget Information
In addition to the Executive’s previous allocation of £3.8m to help cover the additional waste costs incurred by Councils for the period March to end June, the Department has submitted a further bid for £11.4m for the period July through to March 2021.
Environment, Marine & Fisheries Group
Fisheries update
Fisheries - Sea Fishing Sector
On 3 April 2020 the Minister announced that the Department would proceed with a scheme of financial support for the sea fish catching sector.
Letters of Invitation to apply for the scheme were issued to 172 vessel owners, with 81 licensed fishing vessels considered ineligible against the scheme’s qualifying criteria.
After all appeals were considered, a total of 172 Letters of Offer and claim forms were issued and, at the close of the Scheme, 171 payments have been made to vessel owners totalling £1.32m.
The Minister is currently considering whether further assistance can be offered given the reduced prices for seafood and collapse in markets.
Aquaculture Sector
The Aquaculture Financial Assistance Scheme was announced by the Minister on 26 May. This funding is to be delivered through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Programme.
On 29 May, letters of Invitation to apply to the Scheme were issued to 19 potential eligible businesses. A further 38 letters were issued to potential ineligible businesses to advise of the appeal mechanism.
Ten Payments totalling £81.1k have been made to date. Two appeals were received, both of which were upheld, payment has already been made on one of these. The total awarded grant is likely to be in the region of £100k - £110k.
Lough Neagh Fishery
There are signs that some sectors within Europe are beginning to reopen and some limited fishing returned on Lough Neagh in July to meet this reduced market.
EMFF Regulation 2020/560 has recently been amended, particularly Article 33, which may provide possible funding opportunities for Lough Neagh Commercial fishermen who at this time are unable to work during the short season 1st May until end of October.
DAERA officials have confirmed that Lough Neagh commercial fishermen would be eligible for financial assistance under this amendment. There have been several meetings held with the Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Cooperative Society (LNFCS) and other fishing interests on Lough Neagh to discuss the proposals for such a scheme.
Minister is currently considering the scheme.
Update on Essential Legislation: UK Fisheries Bill
The Bill completed its Committee Stage in the House of Commons (second House) on 15 September 2020.
A legislative consent motion was tabled in the Assembly on 17 September 2020; and a supplementary legislative consent memorandum was laid on 18 September 2020.
The following legislative consent motion will be debated in the Assembly on 29 September 2020: “That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the Fisheries Bill, as introduced in the House of Lords on 29 January 2020, and consents to the Fisheries Bill being taken forward by the Westminster Parliament”.
The Bill has now moved to Report Stage in the House of Commons (second House).
Update on Essential Finance or Budget Information
Nothing new to report.
Rural Affairs, Forestry Service & Estate Transformation Group
Rural Affairs Division
DAERA Direct Offices
CSB staff continue to work in the 12 DAERA Direct offices on essential services, whilst maintaining social distancing, on a rota basis. The remainder are working from home with secure access to the relevant DAERA databases such as APHIS, NIFAIS and CIS. Perspex screens have been erected in the reception areas and recovery plans have been developed to allow more staff to return to the offices. Specific arrangements have also been put in place to facilitate pre-booked appointments at the front counter.
Face-to-face Digital Assistance was provided in the DAERA Direct offices to support applications to Tranche 4 of the EFS Wider Scheme. Pre-booked verification appointments will also be available for applicants to the Young Farmer and Regional Reserve schemes.
The local offices played a key role in dealing with queries relating to the Covid-19 Income Support Scheme. Of the 10,000 applications received by Monday 21st September, more than 1,700 received digital assistance telephony support from the DAERA Direct offices. The staff also made around 2,000 outbound calls offering support to those customers who had still to submit their claims.
Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI)
The TRPSI funded initiatives continue to proactively deliver support to rural dwellers. To date, under the Coronavirus Community Fund (CFNI) 164 rural organisations have been supported in total with £469,640 awarded. Some 77 of these have been funded from DAERA’s £200k contribution agreed by the DAERA Minister. In addition, 25 organisations (12 rural) ineligible for support by CFNI, with eligible projects, have now been grant aided through a partnership arrangement between DAERA, DFC and the Rural Community Network, receiving £95,142 (£39,573) in total.
Spring Social Prescribing
‘Transition and Recovery’
Following on from the Covid crisis the SPRING Project Management Team undertook an exercise to consider how to transition the project back to its original format bearing in mind Covid-19 regulations and guidance. A key point was that the strategic connections made across Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector in the responding to Covid would be vital into the future.
A Transition paper has been shared with DAERA and work is ongoing to finalise details to allow the SPRING Project to recommence.
Farm Families Health Check Programme (FFHCP) - Covid-19 response
The FFHCP has tentatively scheduled a small number of FFHCP events to recommence the Programme. These will be dependent on latest health advice and the latest position in respect of Covid-19.
Rural Business Development Grant Scheme
The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme provides funding of 50% up to the value of £4,999 to help support the sustainability, and development of rural businesses as well as address the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Scheme closed for applications on Friday 11th September 2020,
Over 1500 applications received across the 11 local Councils and these will require checking for eligibility before a true assessment of demand can be made. This demonstrates an eagerness from rural businesses, even in difficult economic times to invest which is a positive message. Work is currently underway to assess these applications with Letters of Offer projected to issue by the end November 2020.
Covid-19 Revitilation Programme
£2m has been provided through TRPSI to support DfC’s Covid-19 Revitalisation Programme, which will also be implemented by Councils. In Tranche 1, £6m funding (£5m DfC and £1m DAERA) will focus on short term needs as identified by Councils through their respective Revitalisation Plans. In Tranche 2, £11m (£1m DAERA, £5m DfC and £5m DfI) has been allocated to address medium term needs again identified by Councils.
All Councils are working towards delivering on their Tranche 1 Actions Plans and they have recently submitted Tranche 2 Revitalisation Actions Plans to DfC. An Inter-departmental Board involving DAERA, DfC and DfI has recently been established with two meetings being undertaken to date.
Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme
The 2020 Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) which opened on 7 September will provide rural community and voluntary groups with grant aid support for the modernisation (of premises / assets); the purchase of information & communications technology; and to purchase capital items for health & wellbeing purposes. This year the Scheme will support groups to improve or develop their facilities or assets, to help them deal with the recovery from the Covid Pandemic.
The Scheme closes for applications on 2 October 2020.
Rural Policy - Recovery
We have now finished a draft version of the new ‘Rural Policy Framework’ and we are preparing to go out to consultation in the autumn. The consultation will be online with a number of webinars to create a more interactive feel to it.
The first of a number of pilot schemes has been launched, the Rural Micro Business Growth Scheme. It has been developed to test the assumptions coming from the work of the rural framework working groups and inform the drafting of the Rural Policy Framework. The Scheme will provide up to £40k of grant at a 50% intervention rate for eligible costs.
The objective of the Scheme is to assist businesses to grow and become more productive, profitable and efficient, through the adoption of innovative techniques and technology, increase external sales and to make a positive climate related contribution.
The Scheme closed on the 31 August and 337 Expressions of Interest have been received and the eligibility assessment process is underway. The high number of Expressions of interest received demonstrates that even during a difficult economic climate there are rural businesses willing to invest.
In conjunction with Tourism NI the Tourism Web Development Programme was launched on 3 August and closes on 28th August. This pilot scheme is to assist tourism businesses to develop websites to better promote their presence online has been funded jointly by Tourism NI and DAERA.
Interest in the Website Development Programme has been high resulting in 153 Expressions of Interest being received by the 21 August closing date (78 of these from rural businesses). Applications are due to be submitted by 25 September.
EU LEADER Programme
Delivery of the £70m LEADER programme delivered by 10 Local Actions Groups (LAGS) across Northern Ireland was severely restricted due to the COVID19 Pandemic However, businesses are now trading again and contractors are back on site. LEADER is back on track to be completed by March 2022.To date 98% of the capital project allocation of just under £61m has been allocated to rural businesses, the Community Voluntary Sector and to Councils for investment in projects for the benefit of businesses and rural communities. Expenditure to date of £36.5m is just under 60% of the overall project funding allocated to LAGs.
A key focus of LEADER is supporting the rural economy and the creation and expansion of rural micro and small businesses. To date under the Rural Business Investment Scheme 615 Letters of Offer worth over £21m has been issued by LAGs. This is a considerable investment in rural areas which also has an economic benefit to supply chains. A broad range of sectors have been funded with manufacturing making up just over 50% of the businesses funded.
Rural Tourism Scheme
To date 15 projects have been approved, under the Scheme, to receive funding totalling £7.35m including Colin Glen Alpine Toboggan, Davagh Forest Dark Sky Observatory, Gosford Forest Playpark Trail, Ballycopeland Windmill, Castlewellan Arboretum and the Hillsborough Forest Digital Sculpture Trail. A potential further 5 applications are currently being developed. The budget for 2019/20 is £1.63m and is on target to be achieved.
DfE’s Tourism Recovery Steering Group met on 2 September to discuss the draft Tourism Recovery Action Plan developed by the Tourism industry Taskforce Working Group in conjunction with the ten Task and Finish Groups which were created to reflect the diverse nature of the industry. The Plan is a distillation of the industry asks from each of the ten Task & Finish Groups, The Working Group has grouped the industry asks under six key themes and included other key initiatives and actions proposed by Tourism NI and other Departments, including DAERA. Following this meeting the draft Action Plan is now undergoing due diligence by DfE to consider its affordability, deliverability and value for money; and the outcome of the COVID-19 bids made to the Executive. The Action Plan will be further refined once these outcomes are known.
Processing of Grant Aid Claims
RAD continue to process claims and make payments relating to TRPSI and LEADER.
Rural Development Programme
|
Programme |
1st March to 31st August 2020 |
1st September to 14th September 2020 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
No of Payments |
Amount |
No of Payments |
Amount |
|
LEADER |
210 |
6,729,611.12 |
12 |
304,474.09 |
|
Running Costs to LAGS |
37 |
1,203,108.55 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOURISM |
8 |
£1,323,601.49 |
0 |
0 |
|
Farm Business Improvement |
21 |
2,052,479.12 |
0 |
0 |
|
Other RDP Schemes |
30 |
836,038.84 |
20 |
429,029.41 |
There are an additional 16 LEADER project payments valued at £ 807,524.75 being processed for payment.
Forest Service
Forest Service staff continue to work primarily from home, with rotas in place for a small number who visit offices occasionally for tasks requiring office facilities. Services, including the operation of forest parks, are expected to continue relatively unchanged with the latest Covid position.
Central Services & Contingency Planning
Update on Essential Finance or Budget information
DAERA has submitted a £11.4m COVID-19 Resource DEL bid to the Executive to help cover higher waste collection, treatment and disposal costs in Councils. This funding would also help support the additional costs of implementing social distancing measures and ensure that staff across councils are able to fulfil these crucial waste management roles in a safe manner. This bid along with those from all departments are due to be considered by the Executive as part of a COVID-19 Allocation exercise in late September.