Speaking at his last press conference before the Union’s annual meeting at the end of April when he will hand over to Deputy President, Mr. John Gilliland, Mr. Rowe spoke of the importance that farmers should receive their rightful share of the price paid for food by consumers, so that they can remain in business.

    “What will help agriculture and the environment most will be that farming will get back into profitability so that we see people with a will and want to farm, and especially young people will see farming as an acceptable career, “ he said during the press conference at his home at Lakeview House, Letter, outside Kesh.

    He said it was important that farmers campaigned for a larger slice of the price of food items in the shopping basket but was saddened at the findings of a recent survey which revealed that the average household spent less on food than on holidays.

    Reviewing some of the activities of the Union in recent weeks, Mr. Rowe said that of great concern at present was the drop in the average price of milk to dairy farmers. An average price of 15.6 pence per litre at the United Dairy Farmers auction in March had compounded their fears, he said, about milk prices this spring.

    The UFU continued to keep DARD, DEFRA and the EU Commission updated on the situation in Northern Ireland and intervention for skimmed milk powder and the increases in export refunds had averted a complete collapse in prices.

    A meeting next Monday with the Northern Ireland Dairy Association Management Commission will discuss farmgate milk prices and look at ways in which they can be stabilised.

    “We will continue to lobby at every opportunity,” said the President, explaining they had secured the support of the other NFUs and the Northern Ireland Agriculture and Rural Development Minister in their efforts.

    Another subject of growing concern was the proposals for environmental legislation. He said he hoped the Department of Agriculture would show common sense when putting forward proposals to deal with slurry, pollution and fuel oil, especially when specifications are defined for new build storage facilities. Likewise, he said the examination of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones must be undertaken scientifically.

    The President said whatever measures are introduced, they must not remove the competitiveness of Northern Ireland farming.

    On the foot-and-mouth controls, Mr. Rowe, said it was important to pursue an All-Ireland animal health policy. He said the Union was also pressing the Minister for a swift reaction to deal with Brucellosis and TB reactors because FMD taught them that speed was of the essence,.to prevent a spread of the disease. Referring to the recent announcement about farm fraud, Mr. Rowe said the Union was totally against fraudulent practices, but they did not want farmers with genuine mistakes to be unfairly penalised. He was alarmed that farmers would be asked to sign to declare that all the information held on the APHIS database for their herds was correct.

    Attending a recent conference on diversification, Mr. Rowe said that while all enterprises were important to look at, farming would continue to be the mainstay in the rural economy and would provide the main employment.

    He said it was imperative that the Department recognised that the rural economy depended on a successful farming industry.