uuptoday.org

In response to rising animal feed prices, Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has encouraged consumers in Northern Ireland to support local farmers by making the choice at the supermarket to buy local pig and poultry produce first.

Mr Nicholson also welcomed the emergency meeting held last night by the Ulster’s Farmer’s Union in Cookstown, which sought to highlight the issue and the grave crisis facing our pig and poultry producers.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“Buying locally produced food is one way consumers in Northern Ireland can help to support our pig and poultry farmers who, because of huge increases in animal feed prices, are experiencing tough times at the minute. Supermarkets will also have to respond immediately to these worsening market conditions.

“Events on the global stage and at a local level are conspiring against the farming industry in Northern Ireland. The poor weather and flooding during the summer coupled with drought in some of the Southern Hemisphere countries and an increase in demand from the biofuel sector are driving feed prices through the roof and Europe’s zero tolerance approach to GMO produced grain is simply compounding matters further.

“As I warned last week, we have been used, over the past 20 years or so, to low food prices and the availability of an abundance of food within the EU but as the butter and Milk Mountains have melted away, what we could be left facing in Europe in the next 10 to 15 years is a real issue over food security.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has warned that the honeymoon period between Sinn Fein and DUP is coming to an end and Monitoring Report on Devolution published at the beginning of September 2007 forecasts that many key issues, like academic selection, the reform of public administration and the proposed Irish Language Act to name but a few could disrupt or destabilise the Stormont Executive but the shortage of money is the most worrying.

Tom said: “As the new Assembly term commences it would seem that both the DUP and Sinn Fein are keen to appease many of their unhappy members over the images of Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness (referred to as the chuckle brothers) and have jointly agreed to drastically reduce the number of joint engagements. The carefully staged media events do not hide the fact that everything is not so rosy under the surface.

The DUP stated they would secure a peace dividend but failed to deliver. However it is clear that the financial package requested from Gordon Brown never materialised. To put it bluntly, there is no more money in the kitty and we must live within the budgetary constraints confronting the Executive.

Many Ministers are bristling with expenditure plans but reluctant to press ahead with raising revenue, including water charges and the new domestic rates regime. Quite simply priorities will have to be agreed and a reality checks that we would all like to do many things but we do not have the money to do so.

I personally would like to see more money in agriculture and rural development but as was demonstrated in June 2007 that in order to raise funds for the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme that land will need to be sold to finance this scheme. I’m afraid this is something that is likely to be pressed even more widespread to all departments from the Minister of Finance, Peter Robinson.

Northern Ireland needs an integrated transport infrastructure and we must ensure that the economy can move products and people around quickly, hence the need for proper roads. Whilst there have been major announcements about upgrading certain roads next year, there is clearly a massive under-funding of the roads infrastructure in Fermanagh. There is clearly a lack of equality for roads funding towards Fermanagh.

Add to the above the looming May 2008 deadline for the transfer of policing and justice powers to Stormont and there is a real prospect of stormy days ahead. It reminds me of a honeymoon couple who went off on their holiday without paying any outstanding bills, only to return and face the financial consequences by having to sell the presents.”