Debate contribution: Upland Sheep Farmers: Support

Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on 25 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Andrew Muir

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

25 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Upland Sheep Farmers: Support

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4675137

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will address some of the issues that were raised in the debate towards the end of my speech, if people are happy with that, particularly on MV. I thank Members for bringing the issue to the Assembly for discussion. At the outset, I would like to make one confession, which is that my favourite farmed animals are sheep. I am very fond of them, so I am very happy to speak on the issue. That is not to say that I do not love other farmed animals; I love all farmed animals equally, but I have particular fondness for sheep. On taking up ministerial office, one of the first farms that I visited was Clement Lynch's farm up near Park in County Derry/Londonderry. He gave me a real first-hand understanding of the issues that are associated with sheep farming in Northern Ireland. I really appreciated the warm welcome that he gave me and my officials. I would like to provide an overview of the sheep industry in Northern Ireland and outline what I do to recognise the valuable role of sheep in the agri-food industry. In June 2023, the Northern Ireland agricultural census indicated that there were approximately two million sheep on almost 10,00 farm businesses across Northern Ireland. Many of those farm businesses have mixed enterprises, with sheep forming an integral part of the business. I have seen many examples of that. Typically, flock sizes in Northern Ireland tend to be small, with 67% of farm businesses having flocks of fewer than 100 ewes, representing just 10% of the total sheep population. Conversely, less than 2% of farm businesses, which is around 180 farms, have flocks of more than 500 ewes. Those farms account for 41% of the total sheep flock. I have seen one example of that in County Antrim. I am very conscious that there is real diversity in the industry. I was at Campbell Tweed's farm, and I really appreciated the welcome that Campbell also gave me. The sheep industry accounted for 3·8% of the total gross output of Northern Ireland agriculture in 2023. While relatively small in comparison with other sectors, such as dairy or beef, sheep farming contributes to the livelihood of 37% of Northern Ireland farm businesses. It also contributes to the wider rural economy through the demand for specialist contractors and auxiliary services. That has already been discussed in the debate. I am aware that sheep prices have improved in recent months, although production costs are high and overall sheep production remains less profitable than other enterprises on a gross margin basis. Less-favoured areas (LFAs) account for a large proportion of our agricultural area in Northern Ireland and are home to the majority of breeding sheep and suckler cows, as well as many of our most valuable habitats and visually appealing landscapes. In 2023, 79% of sheep and 75% of suckler cows were farmed in LFAs. Sheep in LFAs play an important role in the protection of the environment. They help with the control of scrub encroachment and managing heather growth, delivering benefits for the environment. I have seen that on many farms across Northern Ireland. I am, however, also aware of the challenges that impact on the sheep sector. As I mentioned, the majority of sheep flocks in Northern Ireland are small. The sector is reliant on export markets — that was touched on in the debate — with 52% of sheep and lamb that is produced in Northern Ireland being exported for slaughter or breeding in 2023. In recent years, the market value of sheep wool has also been low. There is limited use of performance recording, which is a key driver in genetic improvement, compared with other regions in the UK. Furthermore, from a health and welfare perspective, in some flocks, there may be limited disease investigation and screening. Disease control in those flocks tends to rely on blanket flock treatment rather than on targeted interventions. Like all farmers, sheep farmers work in difficult conditions and must adapt to and deal with changing weather patterns and fluctuating input costs and product prices. The obligations of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 must be met, and the House is aware that we have many environmental challenges. I know those all too well. The greenhouse gas emission data for 2022, as published by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, indicate that sheep directly account for 327 kilotons of carbon dioxide equivalents or 7·2% of livestock-sourced emissions. Of the total sheep emissions, 97% is attributable to methane that is produced during the digestion process. Sheep also account for a proportion of greenhouse gas emissions that are generated by fuel use in agricultural vehicles and emissions from nitrogen fertilisers and lime that is applied to agricultural land. On the impact of sheep farming on severely disadvantaged areas (SDAs), I acknowledge that the carbon footprint of ewes in SDAs is 8% lower than those on lowland farms, as demonstrated by analysis of the Northern Ireland data in the greenhouse gas emission inventory. That lower footprint is mainly due to the smaller size of ewes farmed in SDAs. However, it should be noted that ewes in SDAs also rear 0·5 fewer lambs per ewe and have higher replacement rates than ewes kept in disadvantaged areas (DAs) or on lowland farms. That results in higher greenhouse gas emissions for lambs in SDAs compared with those in DAs or on lowland farms. It is interesting to note that, according to a recently published Institute of Grocery Distribution report, sheep meat has the highest carbon intensity per unit of protein, some 4% higher than suckler beef, 55% higher than dairy beef and 75% to 80% higher than pig and chicken meat. We need to ensure that the work we carry out to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach net zero is fair and that it supports people on that journey. I recognise that great work has already been done in the agriculture sector, including the sheep sector, and that has to be built upon. That is why we need to provide incentives and support. My Department's new transformational farm support and development programme is being co-designed with the Northern Ireland agriculture industry and other key food and environment stakeholders. The overall aim is a transition to a more sustainable farming sector by seeking to implement policies and strategies that benefit our climate and environment while supporting our economically and socially significant agriculture sector. Through striving to achieve its four outcomes of increased productivity, better environmental sustainability, improved long-term resilience and effective and functioning supply chains, the programme will have a transformational role in the delivery of my key priorities. The programme will be introduced in a phased manner over the coming months and years, with a firm focus on a genuine just transition. Members raised the lack of support for sheep farming under the future agriculture policy. Whilst I recognise that, at this point, there is no dedicated scheme for sheep farming, the programme will provide options for all farm businesses in Northern Ireland, including sheep-only businesses, to maximise the sustainable returns that they can achieve from the assets at their disposal by providing opportunities to secure and improve the viability and sustainability of individual businesses. Members have also highlighted the 17% reduction in the basic payment for sheep farmers. I am conscious that we must keep to our obligations under the Windsor framework, in that 83% of our gross domestic support in the agri-sector must be WTO green box-compliant. The 17% redirection that is referred to is, therefore, the ceiling limit that can be used in compliance with the WTO green-box requirements to redirect funding to, for example, the beef carbon reduction scheme, the protein crop scheme and the planned suckler cow scheme. Of the almost 10,000 farms that keep sheep, 62% have cattle, and the majority of those farm businesses will be able to avail themselves of the new beef schemes. Based on 2023 figures, there are around 2,800 farms with approximately 220,000 breeding ewes, representing 11% of the total sheep population, which will be unable to avail themselves of support under the beef schemes. Of those 2,800 sheep businesses, over two thirds are classified as part-time businesses, supplemented with some form of off-farm employment, and approximately 80% are located in less-favoured areas. The sheep-only farm businesses will be able to avail themselves of other schemes in the farm support and development programme in addition to the new farm sustainability payment. Those schemes are the farming with nature package, the carbon footprinting, knowledge transfer, capital investment measures and so on. I recognise that the industry needs to advance genetic improvement in the sheep sector. However, the best approach to deliver that still has to be agreed. I have been asked to outline my plans to support and safeguard the future viability of sheep farming today, and I am happy to do that. I am always keen to learn from others about interventions that can support farmers, and DAERA engages regularly at both ministerial and official level with our counterparts in other UK Administrations and in the South to discuss agricultural policy and to share best practice.

I am aware of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the South's sheep improvement scheme and national sheep welfare scheme. They currently provide financial support of up to €200 — sorry, not €200, but, with the way the general election is going down South, it could be. Those schemes provide financial support of up to €20 per breeding ewe to farmers to improve the quality and welfare of their flock. That is funded under Ireland's common agricultural policy strategic plan. I note Mr Gaston's praise of the situation in the South.

Given the different fiscal landscapes in which the two Departments operate, it is not possible to draw comparisons or for me to provide similar levels of support, because the South has different fiscal arrangements and is part of the EU, and that is where the benefits arise. The sheep industry task force has provided a comprehensive report to identify the needs of the sheep sector in Northern Ireland and proposed a package to encourage its development. That will help inform future policy decisions for the sheep sector. My officials met the task force in September to discuss its report and agreed to work in partnership with the task force to explore opportunities for future sheep support. As part of that process, it is planned that sheep-focused co-design will take place via the established agricultural policy stakeholder group forum, subject to resource and competing priorities. I also met the task force and representatives of the National Sheep Association to hear first-hand their concerns and ambitions. I welcome that as the start of constructive engagement on the issue. As I have outlined, under WTO requirements, there is limited additional scope for the introduction of a payment per animal or ewe. In addition, how a future scheme can be delivered and controlled needs to be carefully considered. It is too early in the policy development process to indicate what might be included in any sheep scheme moving forward, but I have asked officials to explore opportunities for a sheep scheme on a per-farm basis rather than a per-animal or per-ewe basis. We are trying our best to look forward to see what we can provide. I must make it clear that any decision to introduce new policies or programmes for the sheep sector will be made in the context of budget availability. The existing funding for agriculture, agrienvironment, fisheries and rural development continues to be earmarked by Treasury until 31 March next year. It is important to provide certainty on that funding after that in light of the change announced by the Chancellor on 30 October this year. Therefore, I have formally asked the Minister of Finance for resource DEL to be baselined, treated as Executive earmarked funding for these purposes and uplifted in line with inflation as part of the Budget for next year. I assure Members that I will do all I can to support the farming industry in Northern Ireland with the resources that I have. There are two other issues that I want to talk about, one of which is wool. That was discussed a wee bit in the Chamber. There is an issue with how much more we value wool and how much we can use it as a resource, and I have been engaging with Ulster Wool on that. I have also written to the Economy Minister about how we can collaborate on the issue. I am very conscious of the issue, and I think that it is a real shame that wool is not valued as much in our society and in our economy. I want to look more at that issue. I have also engaged quite a lot with my colleagues in the South on their sheep support scheme. They have a different fiscal environment around this, but I and my officials are working to see what we can do in Northern Ireland in the context of the resource challenges that we have, because we have to roll out our future farm support development programme and be conscious of making sure that we have a business case that can stack up. The other issue is MV, which came up during Question Time and during this debate. I gave an assurance during Question Time that any decisions around that will come to the Committee first for engagement. Hopefully, people will understand the authenticity in my desire to engage with the Committee on that. MV, as people know, is a notifiable disease under our domestic legislation. It is not a notifiable disease under European or WTO animal health rules. The disease is widespread among sheep in other countries and jurisdictions, including in GB. Neither GB nor the Republic of Ireland is considered to be MV-free. Northern Ireland has, however, been considered by the Department to be MV-free. For my Department to maintain its current MV-free status, officials test any sheep and goats moved into Northern Ireland for the presence of the disease. In addition, post-import MV testing from the Republic of Ireland commenced in July 2022. Furthermore, DAERA tests a limited proportion of the national flock for MV as part of the annual sheep and goat surveillance survey. Our approach to MV surveillance in Northern Ireland is under review, and my officials are engaging with industry stakeholders. No decision has been made by me, and, as I said, again, we will engage with the Committee if any decisions are taken on this.

2,447 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:40 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification