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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is to “urgently” seek a response from the UK government on how to replace “critical” single farm payments which are due to end.
The Council passed a motion at last night's 16 January Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism meeting as its constituent farmers look set to lose almost £55m in EU payments following Brexit.
In her motion, Slieve Gullion councillor, Oonagh Magennis said: “There are 25k farm businesses in the North with 40k employees and we will be directly impacted in this council area. “In my own constituency of Newry and south Armagh we are facing a loss of £26.5m and in south Down £27.5m.
“These payments are critical to farm profitability.
“Farming is a key pillar of our community.
“I would ask all to support the motion.
“We need to know how the British government will go ahead after 2024.
“They need to set this out urgently”
Reference was made during the debate to Agriculture Minster Edwin Poots’ pay out of £286.9m subsidies to more than 23k farm businesses in 2022, six weeks earlier than usual in the cost of living crisis.
DAERA and Minister Poots’ sustainability plan to 2050 was also highlighted as the “best policy” going forward away from EU funding.
Mournes councillor, Henry Reilly said: “Farmers from across the political and religious divide have all welcomed what Edwin Poots has done.
“There was a consultation on the way forward last year, that received 400 replies.
“It has now been heralded as the best agricultural policy in the UK and the Republic.
“There is no question or doubt about that.
“There will be maximum payments of £60k and a focus on small family farms.
“I believe the member bringing the motion is being unduly pessimistic.
“I think this motion is pointless and I will be abstaining.”
Fellow Mournes rep, Harold McKee added: “Once this EU parliament is over, the money for single farm payments would dry up and that is the way it was always going to be.
“There were 53% of farmers who voted for Brexit.
“We now need to lobby the UK government for the money.”
The Motion
This Council recognises the significant investment in rural communities and businesses, and the wider economy derived from the Single Farm Payment udner the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); agrees that CAP Single Farm Payments were critical to farm profitibility, particularly for small family farms; is concerned with the significant uncertainty facing our farming community with the loss of CAP Single Farm Payments as a result of Brexit and the end of the replacement Basic Payment Scheme, worth £300m a year, beyond 2025; and calls on the British Government and the Permanent Secretary of Agriculture , Environment and Rural Affairs to set out urgently what replacement funds will be put in place to support our farmers and the wider agricultural sector.
