Debate contribution: The draft Farming with Nature Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025

Debate contribution by Miss Michelle McIlveen on 19 May 2025.

MLA

Miss Michelle McIlveen

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

19 May 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

The draft Farming with Nature Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4968894

Read the official Assembly record

Text

The Democratic Unionist Party fully supports the design of a Farming with Nature policy that provides fair and attractive outcome-based payments. With about 78% of land in Northern Ireland being managed by farmers, it is crucial that agrienvironment schemes are capable of meeting demand and that they are practical, particularly given that it is often not financially viable for farm businesses to take actions with the sole aim of improving the environment. Farming with Nature policies have to coexist with productive agriculture. There is an underlying fear that, although the Minister's intention at present is to respect the voluntary nature of the scheme, that could change. When that is coupled with the destructive proposals on nutrients, many in agriculture have legitimate concerns about what the future holds. Whilst the regulations are framed as being technical — I do not want to repeat many of the concerns that Mr McAleer highlighted — we need to see clarity from the Department on the operation of any cap on the value of claims, along with assurances that the overall level of financial support available will not be reduced. It is welcome, however, that the intention is to avoid a prescriptive approach to the actions and supporting actions available and that future claims will be allowed irrespective of whether the cap on the annual claim has been reached in the previous year. It would be irresponsible, however, to consider today's regulations in isolation from the Minister's harmful proposals for a nutrients action programme. The proposals show a deep lack of practical understanding of the realities that farmers face. The Minister will have heard that loud and clear at Balmoral. Instead of working with producers to find balanced and science-led solutions, he has produced a plan that threatens to undermine an industry that is already under immense pressure from rising costs and other climate adaptation requirements. The agri-food sector is the backbone of our rural economy. The proposed restrictions could devastate farm incomes, jeopardise Northern Ireland's food security and lead to unintended consequences such as farm consolidation or even the abandonment of productive land. The Minister needs to scrap the proposals, return to the table, engage with stakeholders across the industry and deliver a new approach that protects both our environment and the livelihoods of those who live and work in our rural communities. Farmers have led the way in sustainable practices for years. I have no doubt that the outworking of the future Farming with Nature policy will again demonstrate that. As a party, we fully support responsible environmental stewardship, but it must be achieved through genuine partnership, not punitive measures. We support the measures before us.

443 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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