While farmers in Northern Ireland could soon be paid to protect nature, the Ulster Farmers Union warns that a new scheme should actually work and reward those who are already at work.
The association was carefully welcomed by the Nature (FWN) Migration Scheme Open for Applications and the newly launched Ministry of Agriculture (Daera).
The initiative provides payments to farmers in Northern Ireland to implement environmental measures on their land, but the UFU argues that the scheme must be practical and comprehensive.
Vice President John McClellagan described the new scheme as “a step in the right direction” and praised Dela for opening it to all farmers.
“We had argued from the start that this scheme should be available to all farmers in NI, so they have the option to apply if it works on their farm.
“We are pleased that this plan is being rolled out that every farmer should consider,” McClellagan said.
However, he emphasized that the scheme must go further to acknowledge environmental work already being carried out by farmers across the region.
“Creating new habitats is important, but it supports the ongoing work that many have done for years. We need to encourage and treat these two elements equally,” he added.
The UFU also raised concerns about conflicting policies regarding buffer strips. Although FWN promotes river bank buffer zones, recently proposed trophic action programs may require forced buffer zones on some lands.
“There is no situation where one group of farmers is financially supported to implement buffer strips, but another group is punished for doing almost the same thing under different regulations,” he said.
Despite these issues, UFU welcomed the simplified structure of the FWN scheme compared to previous environmental programs and encouraged farmers to consider whether it suited their business needs.
“The UFU, moving forward, continues to work with Daera and other stakeholders to ensure that FWN evolves to provide a wide range of options and support for farm businesses of all kinds,” concluded McClellahan.
Farmers can access details about the scheme, including technical guides, videos and payment information via the Daera website.
The application will be sent online and support will be sent via the Advisory Services Helpline on 0300 200 7848 or by email to farmingwithnature@daera-ni.gov.uk.
