NI farming: Sustainability at the heart of future funding, says Andrew Muir

Funding for agriculture in the future will be underpinned by "financial and environmental sustainability", the minister for agriculture, environment and rural affairs has told the Northern Ireland Assembly.In a written statement, Andrew Muir outlined his plans for the new Sustainable Agriculture Programme, external (SAP), formerly known as the Farm Support and Development Programme.He said the name change reflected "its importance in supporting change for a sustainable future".The minister also highlighted the impact of climate change on all sectors, including agriculture, saying it had "the most to gain" from the "interventions needed to give a strong and sustainable future".
A timeline for rolling out the schemes which form the SAP will be published on the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) website.Several, such as the Beef Carbon Reduction and Sustainable Farming Investment schemes, have already been launched with the next phases imminent.The list of policies to be launched this year also includes the Farming With Nature package, which the minister described as one of his "top priorities".It will be introduced in phases with the initial announcements coming at the Balmoral Show in May.The minister said he wanted to see all the policies underpinned by the One Health, external approach, where the health of people, animals and the environment are recognised as closely linked and interdependent.A Daera spokesperson said the programme sought to "maintain output more efficiently while enhancing productivity and improving environmental sustainability".It could "potentially reduce" livestock numbers through the removal of less productive animals.Information events will be held across Northern Ireland in late February and March for farmers and growers.

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