EFS receives 2,361 applications

A total of 2,361 applications were received for the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS).

On enquiry, a department spokesperson confirmed that 1,435 applications were received for the wider scheme, significantly below the original target of 2,000.

However, 926 applications were received for the higher level. The original plan was for 300 higher-level agreements to start in the first tranche in January 2018.

“It is envisaged that applicants will be notified whether they have been successful during May and June 2017,” the spokesperson said.

Across several tranches of the EFS, the department has forecast having 4,200 farmers in wider-level and 2,000 in higher-level agreements.

Magowan new AFBI deputy chief

It is understood that Dr Elizabeth Magowan, who heads pig research at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Hillsborough, is the successful candidate set to replace Dr Sinclair Mayne as director of Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, and deputy CEO of AFBI.

The position became available following the promotion of Mayne to the AFBI CEO role last October, and comes with a wide remit that covers all agricultural based research.

Magowan will join the executive management team that also includes Dr Stanley McDowell, the director of veterinary sciences at AFBI.

McCluggage takes up UFU post

A new senior position of policy manager within the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) headquarters team is to be filled by James McCluggage, currently UFU group manager in Larne.

The post was created following a review, and in response to an increased workload as a result of Brexit.

LacPatrick connected to Gas to the West

LacPatrick’s milk-processing facility at Artigarvan is the first major energy user to connect to the Gas to the West project.

The £250m project aims to bring natural gas to commercial and domestic users in most of the main towns in the west of NI. The first phase of the project was completed in February. A 30km pipeline from Maydown to Strabane is now complete and the Artigarvan site has been connected since the start of the year.

LacPatrick has signed a £2.2m contract with gas supplier Electric Ireland to provide 90m kWh of energy per year to the site in Artigarvan.