Debate contribution: Upland Sheep Farmers: Support

Debate contribution by Mr Declan McAleer on 25 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Declan McAleer

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

25 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Upland Sheep Farmers: Support

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4674653

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on a motion that acknowledges the vital role of the sheep sector in the agri-food industry, recognises the lack of support for sheep farming and calls on the Minister to outline his plans to support it. At the outset, I say that the debate is not just about sheep farming but about the future of our uplands, our rural communities and the very fabric of our countryside. It is a matter of protecting a way of life, preserving a vital industry and ensuring fairness to farmers who play an indispensable role in producing the food that we all rely on. While we currently lack a ring-fenced budget for agriculture, it is, nevertheless, crucial to table the motion to establish a much-needed sheep scheme to support our farming communities. Farmers across the North have voiced serious concern about the absence of a proposed sheep scheme, and we must recognise the public good of using land for food production. As we face an era of global uncertainty in food supplies, the issue is about more than farming; it is about food security, economic sustainability and supporting the custodians of our land. During a meeting of the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs earlier this year, County Antrim sheep farmer and sheep task force member Campbell Tweed emphasised to the Committee the urgent need for targeted schemes, particularly those focused on improving flock performance and genetic merit. He highlighted the fact that such measures, which are already in place in the South of Ireland, could enhance efficiency, market competitiveness and environmental stability across our sheep farms. The latest agriculture census figures for 2023 published by DAERA reveal some concerning trends in the sheep farming sector. The total number of sheep in the North has decreased by 3%, leaving a population of just over 2 million. That includes a 2% reduction in breeding ewes, with numbers falling to 973,718 compared with 2022. It is also worth noting that larger farms with more than 500 sheep, as of 1 June 2023, now account for 41% of the total sheep population. That concentration of sheep on larger farms underscores the pressures that smaller farming operations face in maintaining their flocks in increasingly challenging economic and environmental conditions. Those figures highlight the urgent need for a sheep support scheme for the sector. With sheep farming making a significant contribution to our economy and rural communities, we cannot afford to ignore the pressures facing farmers today.

It is essential that we ensure the sustainability and future of sheep farming. Sheep farming is not just a tradition; it is an economic lifeline. The two million sheep that we have in the North are part of an industry that plays a huge role in the agri-food sector — a sector that is worth £5 billion. Livestock marts, which are at the heart of that economy, are not just places of trade; they are vital hubs for farmers to meet, share knowledge and support one another. Farmers here face significant disadvantages. From 2025, sheep farmers face losing 17% of their basic payment unless they change their practices to include the growing of protein crops or the integration of cattle into their systems. For many sheep farmers, especially those in upland areas, those changes are simply not workable due to the nature of their land, their businesses and the climate. We need urgent action to ensure that those farms are not unfairly penalised and left without viable alternatives. Trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, which import lamb that competes directly with our locally produced meat, have only added to the challenges. Meanwhile, farmers in the South have a sheep scheme in place, which gives farmers across the border a competitive advantage over our local farmers. That must be addressed. The Ulster Farmers' Union has called for a sheep scheme to ensure fairness and support for our local farmers. Currently, 17% of the basic scheme will be modulated to pay for beef, carbon and suckler schemes, yet no funds are allocated to a dedicated sheep farming scheme. That inequity undermines the livelihoods of farmers in upland areas, where the climate and topography lend themselves naturally to sheep farming. The problem is compounded by the loss of the areas of natural constraints (ANC) scheme. Sheep farmers in the North could increase profitability while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to research led by Dr Aurélie Aubry of the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), drawing on findings from the 2022 'Net Zero and Livestock' report, practical strategies include genetic improvements, such as using estimated breeding values and cross-breeding, to boost productivity, as well as nutritional innovations like supplementing lamb diets with microalgae to cut methane emissions by up to 25%. AFBI's long-term research has shown that enhancing key traits, lamb output, ewe longevity and growth rates can help farms become more efficient, environmentally sustainable and profitable. Those innovations highlight the potential of sheep farming to be sustainable and profitable, but a dedicated sheep scheme is essential to provide the support and resources that farmers need to implement the practices effectively and fully realise the opportunities. The role of sheep farming in our rural economy extends beyond food production. Sheep grazing plays a critical part in managing our upland landscapes, supporting biodiversity and maintaining the open areas that attract visitors and underpin our tourism industry. Supporting sheep farmers is not a contradiction to protecting our environment; it will complement it. Sustainable sheep farming can be a cornerstone of climate action while continuing to produce high-quality food. As a representative of a rural constituency, I see at first-hand the massive contribution that farming makes to our economy and communities, but farming is more than economics; it is a heritage and responsibility. Future generations will be the custodians of the countryside but only if farmers are supported now. If we do not back our farmers, we risk losing not just our livelihoods but the unique character of our rural areas. The Minister, who is with us today, has a key role to play. It is important that the Department sets up a sheep scheme to provide direct support for farmers, levelling the playing field with the South of Ireland and safeguarding the future of this vital industry. Supporting our sheep farmers is not just about economics or tradition; it is about fairness, sustainability and our shared future. Let us ensure that our farmers have the tools that they need to thrive, contribute to our economy and continue as custodians of our countryside for generations to come.

1,106 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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