UFU want no-deal tariffs revised

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has joined other UK farming unions in writing to British Chancellor Philip Hammond warning that the recent no-deal tariff policy announced by the UK government will severely damage farmer incomes.

“While we acknowledge that the tariff policy announced earlier this month is intended to be temporary and would be in direct response to an undesirable situation facing the country, we have very significant concerns about the damage this policy would cause to farmers across the country,” said UFU president Ivor Ferguson.

FQAS membership fees to increase

From 1 April 2019, annual membership fees for the NI beef and lamb Farm Quality Assurance Scheme (FQAS) are to increase from £55 to £60 plus VAT for both new and existing members.

According to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), the increase in fees is necessary to cover costs and comes after a number of years when the FQAS has been operating at a managed loss, while historic reserves were being utilised.

The most recent set of LMC accounts show that the scheme had an income of just over £1.12m but costs of £1.17m, leaving a deficit of around £50,000.

The last increase in fees came in April 2012. Before that date, farmers paid £35 plus VAT.

Despite the latest increase, the cost of farm assurance schemes in NI is significantly less than those in Britain. The Welsh beef and lamb scheme costs £120.50 plus VAT, while a farmer in Scotland selling over 20 cattle per year pays £103.30 plus VAT, rising to £202.61 plus VAT if selling over 350 head.

No funding in DAERA for no-deal Brexit

There is no extra funding available within DAERA for contingency measures if the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement, according to SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone.

In a statement issued after a meeting with DAERA permanent secretary Denis McMahon, McGlone said that the department has trained 400 trade certification officers and is recruiting more vets in preparations for Brexit.

“However, it is extremely worrying news that the department has no extra funding to deal with the contingency of a no-deal scenario, which is still a probability if Theresa May cannot get her plan through Westminster,” he said.

Force majeure claims for flooded land

The same rules for claiming land in the northwest which is still ineligible for Basic Payment as a result of floods and landslides in August 2017 will apply in the 2019 scheme year.

Guidance published on the DAERA website last week states that land which has been permanently removed from agricultural use as a result of floods or landslides is not eligible for force majeure.

However, the guidance also says that land which will return to agricultural use through natural regeneration within “a reasonable time” will be considered under force majeure in 2019.

FML1 forms are available on the DAERA website and must be submitted by the Single Application deadline of 15 May 2019.

Derogation deadline approaches

Online applications to the NI Environment Agency (NIEA) to operate under a nitrates derogation in 2019 close at midnight on 31 March 2019.

A derogation allows a grassland farm’s manure nitrogen loading limit to increase from the standard 170kgN/ha/ year to 250kgN/ha/year.

For farmers who operated under a derogation during 2018, fertilisation accounts must also be submitted to NIEA by the 31 March deadline.

Read more

Tariffs could transform NI into a smugglers' paradise

Dale Farm and Lakeland cut milk price