Dear Sir,

I noted with interest your p4 comment piece in the edition dated 18 February 2023, which focused on arable production and how it can be an effective way of managing excess nutrients in NI.

Your points are well made and very valid, however I think the suggestion that “the solution is so obvious it seems to get missed” is not entirely true.

I facilitated a report on “The Development of Sustainable Arable Production in Northern Ireland” led by Roy Lyttle, Robert Moore, David McElrea and Bruce Steele on behalf of the Ulster Farmers’ Union and the Ulster Arable Society.

This was published in May 2021 and had as a central tenet the concept of an arable sector being an integral part of a progressive mixed farming region in which all farm types combine to deliver safe and affordable food in a way which is both economically and environmentally sustainable.

A specific recommendation within the report was to “encourage the development of close working relationships with grassland and intensive businesses to optimise the use of nutrients available from organic manures.”

Unfortunately, the impact of the report, which was presented to both government and public representatives was limited, not helped by COVID, wider economic issues and lack of government at Stormont. We still believe that the report offers many sensible solutions on how to move our wider farming industry forward.

Read more

NI has resources to the envy of others

Farmers ‘must do our bit’ on emissions