Sheep trade firm
as numbers tighten
The sheep trade in NI has remained firm as reports indicate that the number of hoggets coming forward for slaughter has tightened.
Quotes from NI factories start from 630p/kg this week, with weight limits of 22kg and 22.5kg applying at different plants.
The base quotes equate to full weight limit prices of £138.60 and £141.75, although prices beyond the outlined quotes are available from factory agents.
In the marts, the sheep trade is strong and heavy hoggets are regularly making over the £150 mark this week.
With many large store lamb finishers now finished killing lambs for the 2025/26 season, there is an expectation that numbers could further tighten over the coming weeks.
Fears of bluetongue movement restrictions late last year, coupled with wet weather throughout January, has helped push lambs off dairy and beef farms earlier than usual.
UFU hustings for leadership candidates
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is holding six husting events across NI where members can question the candidates who are standing for election to the leadership team.
At the UFU AGM in April, current deputy president John McLenaghan is set to replace outgoing president William Irvine.
There are three candidates for the two positions as deputy president, namely current deputy president Glenn Cuddy, hill farming chairman Clement Lynch and dairy chairman Cyril Orr.
The husting events, which are open to all members, all begin at 8pm. The final event on 25 February will also be streamed online. Dates and locations of the six events are:
Antrim - 4 February at the Dunsilly Hotel.Fermanagh – 11 February at Killyhevlin Hotel.Derry – 16 February at Belfray Country Inn.Armagh – 18 February at Armagh City Hotel.Down – 23 February at La Mon Hotel.Tyrone – 25 February at Silverbirch Hotel.‘Carve outs’ needed in new EU deal,
MPs say
A committee of MPs has said the UK government should seek “carve outs” in a new animal and plant health agreement with the EU.
In a new report, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee said a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal with the EU could bring “many benefits” for UK consumers, farmers and producers.
The report states that an agreement should reduce the need for border checks, including between Britain and NI, plus it could cut other red tape and make supply chains more resilient.
The report also calls for a new agreement on the supply of veterinary medicines into NI from the rest of the UK, which the committee says is long overdue.
However, MPs state that a new SPS deal should not result in farmers in Britain having to automatically follow EU rules on the likes of pesticides.
“Similarly, we should not let regulatory alignment squander the benefits reaped from our scientific innovations with precision breeding,” said committee chair Alistair Carmichael.
Sheep trade firm
as numbers tighten
The sheep trade in NI has remained firm as reports indicate that the number of hoggets coming forward for slaughter has tightened.
Quotes from NI factories start from 630p/kg this week, with weight limits of 22kg and 22.5kg applying at different plants.
The base quotes equate to full weight limit prices of £138.60 and £141.75, although prices beyond the outlined quotes are available from factory agents.
In the marts, the sheep trade is strong and heavy hoggets are regularly making over the £150 mark this week.
With many large store lamb finishers now finished killing lambs for the 2025/26 season, there is an expectation that numbers could further tighten over the coming weeks.
Fears of bluetongue movement restrictions late last year, coupled with wet weather throughout January, has helped push lambs off dairy and beef farms earlier than usual.
UFU hustings for leadership candidates
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is holding six husting events across NI where members can question the candidates who are standing for election to the leadership team.
At the UFU AGM in April, current deputy president John McLenaghan is set to replace outgoing president William Irvine.
There are three candidates for the two positions as deputy president, namely current deputy president Glenn Cuddy, hill farming chairman Clement Lynch and dairy chairman Cyril Orr.
The husting events, which are open to all members, all begin at 8pm. The final event on 25 February will also be streamed online. Dates and locations of the six events are:
Antrim - 4 February at the Dunsilly Hotel.Fermanagh – 11 February at Killyhevlin Hotel.Derry – 16 February at Belfray Country Inn.Armagh – 18 February at Armagh City Hotel.Down – 23 February at La Mon Hotel.Tyrone – 25 February at Silverbirch Hotel.‘Carve outs’ needed in new EU deal,
MPs say
A committee of MPs has said the UK government should seek “carve outs” in a new animal and plant health agreement with the EU.
In a new report, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee said a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal with the EU could bring “many benefits” for UK consumers, farmers and producers.
The report states that an agreement should reduce the need for border checks, including between Britain and NI, plus it could cut other red tape and make supply chains more resilient.
The report also calls for a new agreement on the supply of veterinary medicines into NI from the rest of the UK, which the committee says is long overdue.
However, MPs state that a new SPS deal should not result in farmers in Britain having to automatically follow EU rules on the likes of pesticides.
“Similarly, we should not let regulatory alignment squander the benefits reaped from our scientific innovations with precision breeding,” said committee chair Alistair Carmichael.
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