Northern Ireland’s Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir has cited “resource constraints” for the lack of additional tractor training for teens.
He was responding to a parliamentary question by Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP’s) Stephen Dunne, who asked Minister Muir to detail any consideration his department has given to supporting additional tractor driving courses for 13-15 year-olds.
Minister Muir replied: “My department, through the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has committed to delivering a programme of tractor driving for 13-15 year-olds training courses, consistent with that delivered during 2025.
“No additional tractor driving for 13-15 year-olds training courses can be delivered by CAFRE during 2026 due to resource constraints.
“These tractor driving for 13-15 year-olds training courses will be available during the summer period at CAFRE’s Greenmount and Enniskillen campuses.”
The Agriculture (Safety of Children and Young Person’s) Regulation (NI) 2006 and Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) states that any child between the ages of 13-15 years-old who wants to drive a tractor engaged in agricultural activities on private land must first successfully complete a certified course.
Farm safety
Separately, Carla Lockhart MP has called for greater access to the Safe Operation of Tractors training course for young people.
The Upper Bann MP said she has written to Minister Muir to highlight the need for greater availability of tractor driving courses delivered by CAFRE.
Lockhart said: “Farm safety must remain a top priority across Northern Ireland, particularly when it comes to teenagers and young people who are living on farms and growing up around agricultural machinery every day.
She noted that the training course “plays a crucial role in building awareness, responsibility and practical safety skills.
“While I welcome initiatives such as the recently launched Farm Wiser Farm Longer campaign, which focuses on older farmers, there must also be a stronger emphasis on raising awareness of farm safety among teenagers living and working in rural areas.
“Education is key to preventing accidents and instilling lifelong skills and safe practices.”
The DUP Agriculture spokesperson added that it was “deeply concerning that the number of these courses offered by CAFRE appear to have been reduced in recent years”.
“Previously, the popular three-day course costing £150, was delivered not only during the summer months but also across school holiday periods such as Halloween.
“This offered farming families greater accessibility and flexibility to the necessary training, which is a legal requirement for young teenagers driving tractors on family farms.”
‘Lengthy wait’
Lockhart added that restricting the provision of training, largely to the summer months, “risks excluding many young people, who are actively involved in farming, and who would benefit from this essential course”.
“Anyone whose thirteenth birthday falls at the end of August is expected to wait 10 months until the course resumes in July the following year.”
The Upper Bann MP noted that parents are reporting that course dates book up quickly, “resulting in an even further wait”.
She said CAFRE “should be doing more to actively promote and expand access to the Safe Operation of Tractors course”.
“At a time when improving farm safety outcomes is a shared priority, scaling back such opportunities sends the wrong message.”
