NI success at Stirling bull sales

Several NI cattle breeders had the leading sale prices at the recent cattle breeding sales held at Stirling.

Viewed by many as the premier bull sale for Charolais and Simmental, the top-priced NI bull was Ovill Lennon ET bred by the O’Kane brothers, Dungiven, selling for 16,000 guineas (gns).

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Other noted prices were 9,500gns paid to S & D Bothwell, Co Fermanagh for their bull Killadeas Larry, followed by 6,500gns for Innisrush Lancelot bred by William Whyte, Portglenone.

Topping the list of NI Simmental breeders was Cecil McIlwaine with Corrick Gareth, selling for 10,500gns. Harold Stubbs of Lisnaskea realised 9,000gns for Derrycallaghan Gambler.

Meanwhile, the Uppermill Shorthorn herd owned by James Porter, Dromore, Co Down, received the Momar Trophy for having the highest scoring Shorthorn show team across the four major agri-shows this summer. This is the third consecutive year that James has won this award.

ANC funding still under review

Minister for Agriculture Michelle McIlveen has confirmed that she is still considering the future of the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme.

Currently worth £20m per year to farmers in the severely disadvantaged area, it has no budget allocation beyond 2017. Unless things change, the 2016 scheme, claimed in May, and due to be paid out early next year will be the last.

Earlier this year, DAERA launched a consultation on future funding options for the ANC scheme, which included potentially using money from direct payments (Pillar I of the CAP). That has already been ruled out by the minister, leaving the only option being to find money within the Stormont Executive.

“I am still considering other options for future support to ANC, but given the pressures on both the Department’s and the Executive’s budget, providing any additional support will be challenging,” confirmed Minister McIlveen in a written answer to east Antrim MLA Oliver McMullan.