End of mandate platform piece from Minister

Becoming Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in January 2020 was an honour and a privilege. It is a post that I hold close to my heart, having worked in agriculture all my life and having had a love of the land that charts back to being a child and living on the farm with my family.

When I took up the role in DAERA, no one could have foreseen the challenges and crises we have faced with a pandemic, post-Brexit arrangements, a war in Ukraine or bird flu to name but a few. But these have not stopped us setting the foundations for a stronger agricultural industry, a better environment, a more resilient fishing sector and a prosperous rural economy.

We have worked diligently to deliver on strategies and policies that are vitally important to the sustainability of our agriculture, environment and rural sectors.

Climate Change

One of the greatest challenges we face is climate change and I am pleased that my Climate Change Bill was approved by the Assembly.

Knowing we have delivered Northern Ireland’s first ever Climate Change Legislation fills me with great pride.

I’m equally pleased that NI played its part in establishing a UK Emissions Trading Scheme. It now requires all of us, the public sector private sector, communities and individuals to all play our part in helping to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis. We owe this to our children and our children’s children. 

I had the privilege of representing NI at COP26 and demonstrated our determination to reduce our carbon footprint by launching a cross-cutting, multi-decade NI Executive Green Growth Strategy and agreeing our first ever Environmental Strategy. Both of which require formal Executive approval.

The Climate Change Bill requires us to ensure addressing climate change is at the forefront of all major policies and I have already progressed a number of key initiatives in this regard, including the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme, extending the popular Environmental Farming Scheme and consulting on an ambitious strategy to protect and restore our peatlands.

We are working to develop a circular economy and tackling plastic pollution and the Assembly has also agreed to my extension of the UK Environment Act here and introduction of the Office of Environmental Protection - a new independent body that will hold us to account for delivering on the environment.

One of the great advantages of bringing agriculture and environment together in one department means we achieve a shared approach to sustained production and enhancing the environment by helping farmers reduce ammonia and methane emissions   The terrible events of the past month in Ukraine have starkly highlighted once again that we cannot take the issue of food security for granted, but neither can we ignore the need to protect and cherish our environment.

Agri future policy

Agriculture is the cornerstone of our rural economy. It feeds our people and many beyond our shores generating over £5 billion for our economy. It is vital that we succeed sustainably and globally.

My recently launched Future Agricultural Policy has allowed us, for the first time in almost 50 years, to redefine our approach to sustainable agriculture and target support to meet our local priorities more effectively.

We must now build on that to develop an industry in which farmers utilise their assets to better effect and invest in the physical, human and environmental elements on their farms.

We will implement support schemes that provide opportunities for farmers to be more efficient, resilient and environmentally sustainable and to maximise the returns for themselves and for society.

Farming is, of course, a key part of broader rural society and I am delighted to have recently launched   the Rural Policy Framework which seeks to support our rural communities to deliver wider economic growth that will help Northern Ireland to prosper.

As a rural dweller I am well aware that rural life comes with a range of challenges such as reduced access to public transport, utilities and infrastructure, particularly broadband, all of which are barriers to growth. I want to change that and make life better and easier for our rural communities. The new policy focuses on addressing these issues along with enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship, supporting sustainable tourism, health and wellbeing, employment and connectivity for the 670,000 (approx.) people who live in rural Northern Ireland.

Work now starts on drafting and funding a new Rural Business and Community Investment Programme to deliver the best possible outcomes for our rural communities now and for the future.

Ensuring the sustainability of our sea fisheries is critical for our coastal communities as well as to the viability and profitability of the industry.  The marine environment provides opportunities for carbon sequestration through blue carbon. And my new blue carbon action plan will be taken forward in parallel with a review of Marine Protected Areas.

Covid highlighted the importance of our inshore marine areas for recreational use especially sea swimming, so I’ve taken forward measures to improve safety and see if we can increase the number of Bathing Waters that can be open throughout the year.

TB

Costing  £40m per year, in addition to causing significant financial and emotional hardship for farming families, bovine Tuberculosis  (bTB) has a devastating impact with the potential to inflict serious damage on the wider agri-food industry.

To eradicate this terrible disease I have announced a new long term bovine Tuberculosis eradication strategy for Northern Ireland. Working with industry our aim is to reduce, and ultimately eradicate b TB in the most effective way and in a realistic timeframe.

Based on evidence, experience and solid scientific research my Strategy includes proposals which seek to address all of the factors that contribute to disease spread and maintenance. This includes actions on cattle testing and the testing of non-bovines, on herd health management and biosecurity, onwildlife intervention and on research.

We must now all act urgently, and together, to beat this intractable challenge.

Bird flu

Another disease that continues to pose a major threat to our agri-food sector is Avian Flu.

We have worked closely with the poultry sector both commercial and backyard sectors to detect and stop this highly pathogenic strain.

With an estimated market value of £298 million NI’s poultry sector is vital to our agri-food economy and industry and backyard flock owners must continue keep up their guard to prevent a further spread of this devastating disease.

Brexit

The NI Protocol also continues to present us with many difficulties.

I have repeatedly stressed how unworkable in practice it is. Friction-free movement of goods and animals between GB and NI is central to our economy and current requirements of the Protocol place an unnecessary burden on the agri-food industry and our food supply chain.

If the Protocol was fully and rigorously implemented, the number of checks incoming on food supplies would be around 25,000 per week imposing completely unacceptable costs on our consumers and unsustainable demands for veterinary manpower. I will continue to do all I can in urging the UK Government and the EU to find a workable, permanent solution.

Covid

The Covid pandemic highlighted the importance of our food chain, at a local, national and international level.

My heart bursts with pride when I think of how everyone responded to this unprecedented challenge with resilience, determination and ingenuity. We have secured more than £70m in total towards the Covid response and stakeholders have worked hard to ensure this money is well spent and helps to save jobs, communities and indeed to keep industries afloat during the last 2 years. These efforts must be applauded.

They helped keep our local supply lines secure with food moving off-farm and onto our shelves.

I’d like to once again thank our local food heroes, from our farmers to those working in production, distribution and retail. You are the reason that we didn’t experience any major interruptions. Your hard work and dedication to producing high-quality, local food is unparalleled, and I am extremely grateful.

Ukraine

The situation in Ukraine has also forced us to look at our Food Supply Security.

The crisis has led to rising feed and fertiliser costs, labour supply problems, energy price hikes and supply chain disruption.

I am working hard to support our agri-food industry by understanding their pressures and identifying what mitigations can be put in place including urging the UK government to urgently consider a range of measures, including financial assistance for UK farmers to support them through the crisis.

Whilst we approach the end of this Assembly mandate it is not the finish line for much of the work and key issues we have been tackling. The challenges continue but so do many opportunities.

Politics, like farming, takes hard work and determination but it is the partnership, the relationships, the amazing people, their knowledge and wisdom that helps us deliver the goods. My thanks to everyone for their phenomenal efforts and for the privilege to work with and for you.

ends

Notes to editors: 

1. Follow DAERA on Twitter and Facebook.
2. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office.

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