Farmers for Action (FFA) is calling for Northern Ireland’s new Nitrates Action Plan (NAP) to be adequately funded by the Stormont Executive.
The organisation’s spokesperson, William Taylor, has noted that Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir, has highlighted the issue of future farmer funding as part of the ongoing NAP debate.
Taylor told Agriland: “Looking ahead, all farm businesses must be equally eligible for the NAP support measures that are introduced.
“This is the only way in which agriculture, as an industry, will be able to respond to the challenge of water quality in an equitable manner.
“The last time we had a scheme of this type introduced was the commitment given by the then farm minister, Michelle Gildernew, to ensure that all farm businesses had the opportunity to invest in new slurry tanks, sufficient to ensure six months’ storage capacity. And that was 20 years ago.”
Meanwhile Farmers for Action has stated that it remains committed to the full repeal of the measures introduced by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, to extend the scope of inheritance tax to farm land and farm businesses.
“We are working with Fairness for Farmers in Europe and Save British Farming, in supporting the case put to Chancellor Reeves in December 2024 to set aside the inheritance tax and replace it with a UK-wide Farm Welfare Bill,” Taylor continued.
“Meanwhile, there is a strong case that due to Northern Ireland still coming under some EU rules that the proposed inheritance tax measures may not be legal.
“This in turn could have implications for family farms throughout the UK. Farmers for Action has no intention of rolling over on the inheritance tax issue.”
The farmer representative added that the chancellor must be convinced of the argument to fully rescind the decision that she made at the time of the 2024 Budget.
Farmers for Action has also indicated that there may be a number of inheritance tax exemption options. These include the location of historic buildings within a farm holding.
However, the organisation has stressed this matter is a ‘work in progress’. Further legal advice is to be secured on the issue over the coming days.
