UFU members in Fermanagh have donated funds to the Rural Support’s Life Beyond programme at a breakfast meeting and question and answer session with Deputy President, David Brown.

The event took place in the Ulster Farmers’ Mart restaurant at which County Chairman, Bertie Swan introduced proceedings.

The donations were for the Rural Support charity’s Life Beyond programme to provide practical and emotional support for farm families in Northern Ireland who have experienced bereavement through whatever circumstances and those who have been involved in a farm accident. A similar programme called Embrace FARM has been existing in the Republic of Ireland.

Following a hearty cooked breakfast, David Brown outlined some of the issues affecting farmers including the Climate Change bills being considered by the Northern Ireland Assembly as well as the greenhouse emissions.

David outlined how in 1950 the United Kingdom had a population of 50 million people with 10.6million cattle and four million vehicles on the roads. In 2021, the population had grown to 67 million but the cattle population had contracted to 9.9 million head now and there were 32 million vehicles on roads.

David said the targets set would be a real challenge for agriculture but reminded those present that consumption per head had reduced by 17 per cent in recent years.

The scene is differing across the world as in Asia, meat consumption is increasing. He said that in NI, meat and dairy products are produced at half the emissions of South America.

Turning to the Protocol, he said the horticultural sector were having difficulty bringing in sprays from GB.

The rules across the Irish Sea was affecting the pedigree cattle sales from Northern Ireland. Previously there would have been 145 bulls at special sales from 45 exhibitors but that has reduced to four bulls from three exhibitors. These sales were a showcase for NI exhibitors.