DAERA have two important deadlines for farmers, food producers and event organisers to comply with.

Showcasing quality rural food has received a boost with the opening of a £300,000 fund announced by Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots with a deadline for applications closing on February 22.

DAERA also announced that views on the Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for NI close a week earlier on February 15 with details at the end of this article.

The Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme (NIRFP) is for the promotion of local food and drink products at regional fairs and exhibitions, seminars/workshops and information programmes.

The Minister said: “This is an important funding programme for our food and drink sector as it continues on the path to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme encourages collaboration between all sectors and representative bodies within the local food industry through financial support to help showcase quality regional food.

“I am delighted that this year we are again able to offer funding for activities that would support a generic agri-food promotion campaign, building on the successes achieved in 2021. Promotional activities will cover all sectors of the NI food industry highlighting the quality, sustainability and reputation of the food that is produced on local farms.”

The programme opened in Tuesday, February 1 2022 and closes at noon on February 22. Applications are invited from not-for-profit groups and regional development agencies as well as registered charities.

Successful applications to the Programme can obtain up to 40% financial contributions on eligible project expenditure for regional fairs/exhibitions, seminars/workshops, information programmes and 80% for the generic agri-food sector promotional campaign. An application form for funding can be downloaded from: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/northern-ireland-regional-food-programme

Meanwhile DAERA explained that the within their consultation document for Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for NI, there is a resilience payment which they now want views on.

A simple, area-based income (resilience) payment is proposed, to provide a safety net for farm business, progressing down to a level which does not blunt innovation and productivity but also delivering foundation environmental outcomes. It is proposed that this will be a “gateway” support scheme, and those wishing to apply to most of the other support measures, must first meet the criteria of this Scheme. The funding for this proposed resilience measure will be lower than the current Basic Payment Scheme both to mitigate the negative consequences and to enable funding to be diverted to other measures.

It is proposed that the Resilience Payment will be area based with entitlements; eligible to all land based agriculture and horticulture farm businesses. The current proposal is broadly that all farmland, except for hard features, will be eligible. This would extend the area of eligible land by approximately 40,000 ha or 4% compared with the current position. No re-basing of entitlements is being considered, but the Department is giving consideration to restricting the allocation of entitlements which met reference criteria in a historic year, such as cattle or sheep registered on APHIS; and/or had at least three hectares of an arable or horticultural crop. This will ensure that only active farmers (defined as an applicant who has the decision-making powers, benefits and financial risks of the agricultural activity being undertaken) receive a Resilience Payment by removing businesses solely engaged in grass selling and maintenance of land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition Requirements (GAEC).

The Department is also proposing upper and lower thresholds for the Resilience Payment in keeping with its policy rationale. Progressive or tiered capping is proposed above £60,000 and it is proposed that applicants should have a minimum claim size of 10ha. Applicants must also meet a set of conditions to address the key outcome of improved environmental sustainability, these include: participation in soil testing, including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), preparing a nutrient management plan and recording of sire data on APHIS/NIFAIS of all calves born for both dairy and beef herds to assist the implementation of the planned Livestock Genetics and Data programme.

In addition, farmers must comply with new Farm Sustainability Standards to replace cross compliance.