Hundreds of farmers from across Northern Ireland gathered at Stormont today (August 10) to protest against a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) enforcement operation in Co. Tyrone.

Rows of tractors outside Parliament Buildings made for an unusual sight as farmers brought their protest directly to Stormont.

Many of the farmers who had gathered today voiced their strong criticism of DAERA as anger continues to mount over the handling of the operation during which 51 cattle were shot on a farm near Fivemiletown.

They were joined at Stormont by numerous politicians from various parties and a number of farming organisations including members of Farmers for Action (FFA) and the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU).

The protest was held at the same time as the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee began an emergency meeting at Stormont today.

The crowd outside Parliament Buildings listened intently to the Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir's opening statement to the committee today.

Minister Muir told the meeting that he is "keenly aware of the public interest and concern of what has been reported about these developments and what is a deeply distressing and sensitive issue".

He outlined that on May 8, 2026, the farmer whose cattle were culled was convicted in court on a range of charges, including six of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, 13 of failure to dispose of an animal carcass, failure to comply with an animal by-products notice, and also failure to produce medicine records.

The minister said the farmer was sentenced on June 8 and received a custodial sentence and a fine.

The individual was also disqualified for life from keeping, owning, or participating in the keeping of animals.

Minister Muir also told the committee that he has received a death threat over his department's recent cattle cull operation in Co. Tyrone.

He stressed repeatedly to committee members that an independent, external review will now take place into the operation in Co. Tyrone.

Protest

However, there was an angry and vocal reaction from many at the protest to the minister's statement to the committee.

Some also called for Minister Muir to resign.

DAERA has previously said the enforcement operation in Tyrone had been carried out "to execute a Court Deprivation Order on a herd belonging to a disqualified keeper, in respect of animal welfare offences".

A number of people who took part in the protest referred to the shooting as a form of ‘execution’

Deborah Erskine, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA, told the protest that any external review of the Fivemiletown cull must not be a ‘whitewash" and said Minister Muir must be held responsible for the events that had taken place in Fivemiletown.

Farmers for Action's Sean McAuley has also called for the removal of Minister Muir, DAERA’s permanent secretary and the head of enforcement within the department’s veterinary service.

Fivemiletown farmer, Andrew Keyes, who said he witnessed the enforcement as it unfolded on June 29, also addressed the protest outside Stormont.

He told protesters that, in his opinion, the animals were in good health and that there was more than sufficient forage for them.

He also personally believes that the animals were fit to be included in the human food chain.