Ahead of the formation by May 2016 of a new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), some changes are afoot at the top within DARD.

Our understanding is that David Small, the current DARD deputy secretary and head of service delivery (which includes CAFRE, countryside management and grants and subsidies) is moving to head up a new environment portfolio within DAERA.

His policy counterpart, Louise Warde Hunter is taking on a central services and rural affairs role, while current chief vet Robert Huey will be responsible for all policy and delivery relating to veterinary issues.

That leaves a new post heading up agriculture and food within DAERA, and answerable to DARD permanent secretary Noel Lavery. According to sources, to be eligible for that post a successful candidate must have a third-level qualification in agriculture or food. Having someone with a background in, and an understanding of the industry, is something that many farming stakeholders lobbying government will welcome.

At this moment, the front runner for the post seems to be DARD director of policy and economics, Norman Fulton.

Others in the frame could include Andrew Elliott, who, up to recently, was director of EU-based schemes, but currently manages the NI Executive office in Brussels. DARD Fisheries director John Speers is also potentially eligible to apply. The post will be advertised externally to DARD, so a new name could yet emerge.

Out of the running is CAFRE director John Fay, who would have been a strong contender, but has decided to retire at the end of the year.

It is an early stage in the process, but it looks as if the DARD budget for 2016/17 might again come under significant pressure.

Speaking at the agriculture committee at Stormont last week, DARD head of finance Graeme Wilkinson said that the Department faces additional finance pressures of £17m, and if a 5% cut is applied to the DARD budget in 2016/17, it will all equate to a shortfall of around £26.5m.

To stay within budgets this year, after £29.9m of savings were applied, the Department had to put on hold various schemes, and also shed nearly 10% of staff via the civil service-wide voluntary exit scheme. “A shortfall next year of £26.5m would be extremely difficult for us. There will be a carryover of savings from the exit scheme, worth £5.3m, but a 5% cut would absorb most of those savings,” said Wilkinson.

On other issues, Wilkinson acknowledged that there has been some slippage in getting business cases approved for the Farm Business Investment Scheme. Also with changes to incentives for wind energy, plans to generate income from wind turbines within the Forest Service estate may not be as financially attractive as originally envisaged.