New UFU president sets out priorities

The newly elected president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) says climate change policies will “inevitably’’ put pressure on farmland and food production capacity.

County Fermanagh suckler beef and sheep farmer David Brown, who succeeds Victor Chestnutt to the union’s top post, says “land first” must be a priority for future food production.

See also: Direct payments to deliver post-Brexit farm support in NI

“Throughout Europe, an area one-quarter of the size of Northern Ireland is taken for roads, buildings and infrastructure every year,” said Mr Brown, who farms at Florencecourt.

That does not take into account the land use change measures set out in the Climate Change Committee’s proposals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“If all of these are implemented to combat climate change, it will put inevitable pressure on our farmland and food production capacity,” warned Mr Brown.

‘Different approach’

He also highlighted what he saw as the different approach being taken to food security by the UK government as a consequence of the war in Ukraine.

While the EU had re-evaluated its farm-to-fork strategy and green agenda, the UK government had “stuck rigidly” to the approach that markets would adjust, and had “resisted accepting there is any challenge to food security”.

“In these unprecedented times, we need to be doing all we can to protect our local food production while developing it appropriately,” said Mr Brown.

He is joined in the UFU’s top team by County Armagh dairy farmer William Irvine, who was re-elected as deputy president for a second term, and by newly elected deputy president John McLenaghan, who produces beef and eggs in County Derry.

The election took place at the UFU’s annual general meeting at Cafre’s Loughry Campus at  Cookstown with agriculture minister Edwin Poots as the keynote speaker.