Minister defends her proposals to modernise LFA farms

Editorial Department • Published 18 Feb 2010 10:22 0 Comments

See also:

The controversy over the Farm Modernisation Scheme continued this week with the Ulster Farmers' Union again expressing its disappointment at the stance taken by Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew.

Ther Minister has again defended over proposals for Tranche Two of the Farm Modernisation Programme.

Seamus Maginn, the UFU's Hill Farming Committee Chairman states; "The UFU would like to stress that we have no issue whatsoever regarding the Minister's wish to support farmers in disadvantaged areas. Indeed, it was the UFU who, in January 2009, drew the Department's attention to the advantages of a currency windfall for the Less Favoured Areas scheme.

"The aim of the Farm Modernisation Scheme is to improve the competitiveness of Northern Ireland agriculture. However, each farmer in Northern Ireland has an equal need to modernise their business and should have an equitable opportunity to benefit from available funding. All farmers face a disadvantage in the marketplace with commodity prices and trying to remain competitive. The UFU's aim is to support all sections of the farming community and we believe that the Department's Farm Modernisation Scheme proposals do not achieve this."

Speaking after Oral Questions in the Assembly, the Minister said the criteria which has been developed for the second tranche of the scheme are designed to help address disadvantage in the farming community.

The Minister added: "My proposals for Tranche Two of the programme will target disadvantage by providing assistance for the modernisation of farm and horticultural businesses operating in Less Favoured Areas. This is reflected in the scoring criteria which is weighted towards those applicants who experience genuine disadvantage and need for modernisation to help them become, or remain, competitive, while working in a challenging environment of small farms on the margins of viability.

"The focus on young farmers is something that I particularly wanted to see, and those consulted have indicated to me that this is a good way to encourage young people to continue to have a career in the industry.

"The need to introduce selection criteria and various options for those criteria has been discussed by my Department with a range of stakeholders and I am still considering the points made to me. In addition we will be consulting widely on the categorisation of the modernising effect of items of plant, machinery or equipment and the list of eligible items."

The Minister said: "Four additional selection criteria are proposed for Tranche Two. These are important, not only because the European Commission has ruled that it is key to select transparently between applications, but also because it means that there is not a need for a business development plan to be submitted by farm businesses, something the industry has consistently said it do not want.

"Under the land classification criterion, I am keen that we target disadvantage, by focusing on those businesses within the Less Favoured Areas where a need for genuine modernisation is greatest. That is why there are scores for applicants from Severely Disadvantaged Areas and Disadvantaged Areas, to enable those who are successful to use the grant to help them become, or remain, competitive, while working in a very challenging environment."

She added: "Modernisation, of course, is the objective of the measure, and the suggestion is that three scoring bands will be available, and equipment assigned, depending on the level of their modernising attributes.

"I have mentioned the importance of helping young farmers and I also want to include e-communication as a way of signalling my wish to promote this way of doing business, not just for DARD's benefit, but also for the customer.

"I am convinced this programme will be of benefit to all the industry, but particularly to those suffering hardship," she stated.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 18 Feb 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.