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Entries are now open for Balmoral Show 2022. This year the Show welcomes back a full complement of classes including horses, ponies, sheep, goats, pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, pigeons, eggs, rabbits and young handlers across all sections.
All entries must be submitted online and will close on Friday 18 March at 5pm.
The Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank will return to Balmoral Park from Wednesday 11 May to Saturday 14 May 2022. Early Bird tickets as well as a limited number of Any Day tickets are available to purchase online.
To enter online or to download a copy of the prize schedule visit WWW.BALMORALSHOW.CO.UK or follow Balmoral Show on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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Councillor, Oonagh Magennis has claimed that the British Treasury has refused the request from Declan McAleer MLA to meet the agriculture committee to discuss concerns around restricting red diesel fuel entitlement.
The Slieve Gullion councillor has branded the move shameful. Cllr Magennis said “I was shocked and disappointed that the treasury refused to meet the agriculture committee to discuss our concerns.
“Restricting red diesel fuel entitlement, without offering any kind of mitigation, will result in increased fuel costs for local businesses like construction, haulage and manufacturing
“The decision will also make it harder for farmers to do ‘non-agricultural’ activities such as charity runs or assisting with local construction projects
“The Agriculture committee asked for Treasury officials to brief members but their reply made them seem uninterested in working on this issue. It was particularly appalling given that the meeting could take place online, with no need for any officials to travel from London.
“The Treasury cited environmental concerns, but really this measure is about squeezing more tax out of businesses who are already feeling the pressure of inflation and rising energy prices.
“While agricultural purposes will still be exempt, many farmers use their vehicles for day-to-day activities, and they are now thrown into legal uncertainty around those uses.
“I call on the British Treasury to urgently meet with the Agriculture Committee to discuss this, and take the concerns of local businesses seriously"
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A new interactive website has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) with the aim of helping the local farming community identify and deal with the stress and pressure of farming life.
The new website WWW.FARMINMIND.CO.UK is entirely confidential, and was developed with the help of key agricultural partners including Rural Support, The Farm Safety Partnership, and the Workplace Health and Leadership Group (NI).
HSENI Chief Executive Robert Kidd said: “The farming community has gone through enormous change and transformation in recent years. Demands on our agri-food industry are higher than ever before and can often lead to increased stress levels for our farmers and their families. It is with this in mind, along with our industry partners, we have developed the FarminMind bespoke site to help our local agri-food community identify and deal with stress.
“The website provides instant, private, and convenient help. I would encourage all adults in our farming community to spend a few minutes and explore the benefits the site offers.”
The site is quick and easy to use. Users, as a first step, can opt to complete an internationally recognised questionnaire developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The ‘WHO-5’ questionnaire poses five short key questions that will help establish the level of stress being personally experienced.
The second step on the site has been specifically designed for the local farming community. Based on information provided by the user, it aims to identify the specific stressors impacting on the individual.
Veronica Morris, speaking at the event on behalf of Rural Support said: “Working together with the Northern Ireland Farm Support Hub, the FarminMind website will ensure that farmers and farming families have access to the most up to date, relevant and practical advice, support, and information to help them to develop their mental fitness and create sustainable and more resilient farm businesses.
“We are delighted to partner with HSENI in the delivery of these important resources and help strengthen the agri-sector in Northern Ireland.”
The new site, having helped individuals to identify the causes of stress, will offer the user a wide range of information and resources, including the details of organisations who can offer free, confidential support, and help. It also provides a one-stop list of contact details of organisations involved in the agri-food industry in Northern Ireland.
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The Newtownhamilton team in the 2022 ABP Angus Youth Challenge got together as a group with other finalists for the first time recently, to attend a live workshop on how to use social media. Cool FM / Downtown Radio presenters Rebecca McKinney and Caroline Fleck shared the secrets of their success with the teenagers who are all working on year-long assignments on sustainable beef production as part of reaching the final stage in the 2022 ABP Angus Youth Challenge.
As well as being a co-presenter of Cool FM’s breakfast show, Rebecca is also a successful fashion stylist and Instagram influencer. Caroline Fleck hosts her own show on Downtown Radio.
The pupils were able to find out how Caroline and Rebecca create and manage good quality media content to have impact and create engagement with their audiences. They also got to create their own piece of video content with help and feedback from the trainers.
The event, which was hosted by CAFRE Loughry Campus. The participating schools in the 2022 ABP Angus Youth finalist programme are Newtownhamilton High School; Banbridge Academy Cookstown High x 2 teams; St Catherine’s College Armagh; Dalriada School; Friends’ Lisburn, and St Kevin’s Lisnaskea. Each team is currently rearing their own mini herd of Angus cross calves through to finishing as well as working on assignments that support sustainable beef production in Northern Ireland.
Pictured are Cool FM / Downtown Radio presenters Caroline Fleck and Rebecca McKinney pictured at the workshop with Newtownhamilton High School pupils, Sophie McKnight, Aimee McCombe and Ellen Bailie who are competing in the 2022 ABP Angus Youth Challenge Final.
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Environment Minister Edwin Poots has hailed the benefits of the humble farm hedge and the farmers who are planting new ones.
During a visit to one Co Down farm the Minister saw one example of how DAERA has invested £63million under the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) to help farmers protect the environment.
‘‘Hedgerows are an age-old and defining feature of our rural landscape. They support a wide range of our local biodiversity, while at the same time serving as stock proof boundaries and effective disease control barriers for the farming industry,” he said.
‘’In these times of climate crisis, it is now, more than ever, that we need to maintain and enhance our local hedgerows and hedgerow trees as evidence shows they act as valuable carbon stores in addition to their other benefits.’’
Minister Poots was speaking after a visit to Ivor Girvin’s farm in Lisburn where he saw how some of the 527 km of new hedgerows that have been planted under EFS and in previous agri-environment schemes, are helping the environment.
“I’m very proud that my Department has helped farmers to plant some 527km of new hedges under EFS - that’s almost half the distance around Northern Ireland - and I hope that they will continue to do so under the scheme when it opens in April.”
Mr Girvin, an egg producer and suckler farmer, said the hedgerows he has planted maintain an attractive local landscape and offer shelter to his animals.
“As well as delivering for biodiversity and the environment hedges offer a living, stock-proof barrier which can reduce disease. A big tree came down on the farm during the recent storms so if we don’t plant trees and hedges like our forefathers did, there won’t be any for the next generations. Trees and hedges don’t live forever,” he said.
The Environmental Farming Scheme is a voluntary scheme with a five year agreement. It supports farmers to implement environmentally beneficial actions and works on their land to protect and enhance biodiversity and water quality, and mitigate against climate change by sequestering carbon.
There are current over 5,000 EFS agreements in place across Northern Ireland representing a current committed investment of £69m.
Some 527 km of new hedgerows have been planted under EFS already with further 45 km of hedges regenerated by laying and inter-planting. Planting a new hedgerow under the environmental farming scheme will enhance carbon capture, create wildlife corridors for nature, reduce soil erosion, reduce animal disease spread by reducing nose-to-nose contact, and preserve our native shrub and tree species, and traditional landscape.
The EFS higher level Tranche 6 will open for application from 27 April until 13 May 2022. EFS Wider level will open for application in August 2022. Agreements for Tranche 6 will commence on 1 January 2023. See the DAERA website at WWW.DAERA-NI.GOV.UK for more information.
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Livestock and equine exhibitors are being reminded that entries for the 153rd Balmoral Show will close on Friday 18 March 2022.
All entries must be submitted online and will close on Friday 18th March at 5pm. To enter online or to download a copy of the prize schedule visit WWW.BALMORALSHOW.CO.UK.
The Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank will return to Balmoral Park from Wednesday 11th May to Saturday 14th May 2022. Early Bird tickets as well as a limited number of ‘Any Day’ tickets are available to purchase online.
You can also follow Balmoral Show on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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Rural Health Partnership launched their Women in Farming – More than Standing in a Gateway Programme on Friday past at Killeavy Castle Estate. It's appropriate that the initiative was launched the week of International Women's Day a chance to celebrate women around the world!
With the Support of Funding from the Princes Countryside Fund, the Rural Health Partnership is running a series of programmes, events and workshops for Rural Farming Women.
Speaking at the launch event Majella Gollogly Development Officer with Rural Health Partnership said; “ We are delighted to get our project underway, our programme promotes and supports Rural Farming Women in it we want to celebrate the role of women in farming, break down barriers, providing skills, peer support, build resilience, instil coping mechanisms to enhance mental health and wellbeing. Examine ways on how to address family needs and issues that can arise at different life stages, building confidence and peer support”.
This programme is for you!
The Partnershop would welcome new participants so, if you are a woman member of a farm family, be that a wife of a farmer, daughter of a farmer, mother of a farmer or even a farmer yourself, get in contact with them.
If you would like more details, contact Majella on majellagollogly@rhpsa.org or phone 07596997883
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The Rural Health Partnership (RHP) is delighted to once again facilitate the Farm Families Mobile Health Checks Programme.
On Friday 25 March the mobile unit returns to the Fane Valley Stores Altnamackan from 10am – 3.30pm. The Rural Health Partnership would like to thank Mr Stanley Henderson Manager of the local Fane Valley Store for agreeing to offer his store as the location for the Farm Families Health Check Vehicle.
Speaking about this initiative Majella Gollogly from the Rural Health Partnership said, “The Rural Health Partnership is delighted to have the Farm Families Health Check Vehicle available in our local area. We recognise that Farmers and Farm Families are very busy people and often don’t take the time to look after their own health and wellbeing. Having the Health Checks Unit at the local Fane Valley Store in Altnamackan makes it more accessible and convenient for local farm families to avail of - what better a way to spend 15 minutes!”
The health checks will offer a good indicator of one’s overall health, including blood pressure, BMI, Cholesterol, Diabetes risk score and overall wellbeing.
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Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has announced that payments of more than £6million have issued to farmers participating in the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS).
“I am delighted to confirm that we have processed 92% of all EFS Wider and Higher 2021 claims and where a payment is due to these businesses they have been made. Payments worth more than £6million have now been issued,” said Minister Poots.
“The remaining claims will be processed and payments issued as soon as possible, following appropriate checks and validations. Since the scheme started we have paid some £50m to participating businesses. That’s over 5,500 EFS agreements.
“The Environmental Farming Scheme is a key part of my department’s efforts to support the environmental stewardship carried out by farmers in Northern Ireland, improving and protecting the environment for us all."
EFS supports farmers and land managers to carry out environmentally beneficial farming practices on agricultural land ranging from hedge planting to reducing grazing pressure on blanket bog habitat.
Payment claims for the 2022 scheme year can be made from 6 April via the Single Application and Maps Service.
Participants in this scheme must submit an EFS claim each year on their Single Application, whether or not a payment is due, to avoid financial penalties or the cancellation of their EFS agreement. Claimants are reminded that, as the EFS is a five-year agreement, work claimed for and paid on must remain available for inspection at any time during this period. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the scheme may lead to penalties and recovery of any payments made.
Applications for tranche 6 of EFS Higher will open on 27 April 2022 and close on 13 May 2022. Applications for tranche 6 EFS Wider will open later this year.
Single Applications and applications for tranche 6 of the EFS can be submitted online at: WWW.DAERA-NI.GOV.UK
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