NI Conservatives’ Europe spokesman, Mark Brotherston, has raised concerns about indecision in the Executive posing a threat to European subsidies for Northern Ireland’s farmers and fishermen, in a series of meetings with Conservative colleagues in Brussels and DEFRA minister, George Eustice MP. Mark, who has twenty years’ experience in managing European funding, said that “opportunities are being wasted because of political divisions at Stormont”.
“After listening carefully to local farmers and fishermen, I’ve been outlining worries about CAP, Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) monies to Conservative colleagues at the European Parliament and to DEFRA”, Mark explained. “Northern Ireland continues to benefit significantly from EU subsidies, as part of the UK, and this money is a life-line for our farmers and fishermen. CAP reform is already likely to present challenges to all aspects of our agri-food industry and the last thing we need is further obstacles arising, due to political arguments at the Stormont Executive.”
“There are particular concerns around missing the deadline for transferring funding from CAP Pillar 1 to Pillar 2, which happened in December”, Mark continued. “On the face of it, this facilitates larger Single Farmer Payments to farmers, which are included in pillar 2 and that would be welcome, but failing to transfer any money to rural development puts future CAP funding at serious risk. It also starves projects which are vital to the whole agri-food sector, such as the Go For Growth Strategy, of money. The UFU has been clear about the importance of that strategy, if Northern Ireland is to meet targets to grow the industry by 60%.”
“The issue is that Stormont is engaged in juvenile ‘tit for tat’ politics, rather than taking a broader, strategic view of farming, fishing and agri-food. Another critical moment looms in April, when the Executive must agree its definition of an ‘active farmer’ for the purposes of the Single Farm Payment. If the politicians can’t agree and miss another deadline, there’s greater risk to Northern Ireland’s levels of CAP funding. I know that the fishing industry has similar worries. I’ve met with the Northern Ireland Fish Producers’ Organisation (NIFPO), who raise anxieties about the lack of leadership coming from DARD on discards, maritime conservation and the placement of wind farms, all critical issues for fishermen.”
“After our meetings, both the DEFRA minister and Conservative colleagues in Europe are acutely aware of the problems facing farmers and fishermen, due to the logjam at Stormont. NI Conservatives will continue to work to highlight these issues and find solutions at all political levels. All farmers and fishermen are very welcome to get in touch to share their concerns. It’s a genuine worry that Northern Ireland’s stale politics could provide genuine problems for their industries and I’ll be working very hard to ensure there is an alternative.”