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Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott has welcomed the news that the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Education are to look into how they can work together to promote the use of local food within their facilities.

Mr Elliott said: “As a strong supporter of the agricultural industry any news that means the sector will get a boost is very welcome. This is especially true in this case as my colleague Health Minister Michael McGimpsey along with Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew and Education Minister Caitriona Ruane demonstrate the sort of action that people on the ground really want to see. For the economy of Northern Ireland to grow it is important for the departments to work in tandem and this is a fine example of how Health and Education could play a key role in the future of the Agricultural industry.”

In a statement released by the Ministers, they stated that they would “investigate the mechanics of collaboration between our departments in terms of food procurement.” For Mr Elliott the use of local food in hospital and schools along with other facilities covered by the Health and Education departments would give many people across Northern Ireland a lift, be it health wise or financially.

The Ulster Unionist MLA went on to note: “Here in the West we have the initiative ‘Investing for Health’ promoted by the Health and Social Services Board. One of its objectives includes that of enabling “people to make healthier choices”. I believe that the Departmental collaboration will help this initiative truly provide healthier choices for people in terms of diet and the public should be encouraged by the potential there is for making the local situation better. We deserve the best here and local produce is without doubt the finest source of food around, so it is just right that we use it in our local facilities.

“A fine example of how use of local produce can enhance local facilities can be seen In Cornwall in England where the five NHS trusts in the area have worked together to make sure that at least 40% of all hospital food is local produce. This is because it is of a higher quality than imported products, is fresher than imported products and gives a sick person a healthy diet. 92% of people in Cornwall now rate the food they receive in hospital as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’.

“There is no reason why this should not be the same here in Fermanagh and across Northern Ireland, not only in our hospitals but also in our schools where it must be said we already rely less on imported goods than our English counterparts. The foundation is laid for real progress in using local food to give our ill and young people healthy diets, while also providing a timely boost for the agricultural industry through increased sales.”

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott has stated his anger at figures revelling that billions of pounds that should be released to farmers across Europe is instead been given to businesses who are not entitled to a penny.

Mr Elliott said: “Figures released by the European Court of Auditors show that upwards of 2.8 billion pound was wasted or mismanaged by the EU during 2006. Some of this money was due to be put into farming initiatives including here in the United Kingdom, at a time when the agricultural industry needs all the support it can get. To hear of such a loss is aggravating to say the least. However, what is worse is the fact that much of the mismanaged money is going to companies such as Golf Clubs and railway companies when many of them are not entitled to any of the funding.”

The figures released meant that for the thirteenth year in a row the European Court of Auditors was unable to give EU spending a ‘clean bill of health’. Rather, it stated that individual members of the EU, who are responsible for overseeing up to 80% of EU funding, are failing their citizens by not efficiently monitoring who is getting money more carefully.

The Ulster Unionist Agricultural spokesman went on to say: “It is a disgrace that so many farmers are losing out due to the mishandling of money. We cannot afford to be wasting funds or giving it away to people who are not eligible. The necessary checks should be reviewed to see how this money is being allowed to go to companies that should not be receiving it. If the government are serious about helping the agricultural industry then it is vital that the look into this, and see how things can be improved.”

Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott, has voiced his concern that DRD Minister, Conor Murphy, has offered nothing new to Fermanagh with regards road infrastructure and finance.

In a statement Mr. Elliott said: “Following the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly most people in the West of the Province, and in particular Fermanagh, were hopeful that an injection of finance would be provided to improve the road infrastructure.

“Unfortunately this has not happened and following the visit of Minister Conor Murphy to the county and his meeting with council members it appears that Fermanagh is going to remain in the wilderness with respect to roads investment in the near future.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman continued by comparing the level of investment granted to towns in neighbouring Tyrone to that offered to Fermanagh in recent years.

Tom continued: “Looking to towns such as Strabane and Omagh where numerous bypasses and other considerable works have been permitted we can see a huge disparity in roads investment opening up. Fermanagh is in need of real and tangible strategic investment in roads if it is to be able to cope with the growing traffic pressures.

“This is particularly necessary for Enniskillen due to its central position in the county where the bottlenecks and restrictions to traffic flow are impeding tourism and business throughout the region.”

In conclusion Tom added: “After meeting with the Minister it is evident once more that the much fabled financial package did not amount to what we were led to believe, the future financial prosperity of Northern Ireland depends heavily on a modern road network, it will underpin much of the progress that we all recognise is required, yet what is on offer for Fermanagh falls short of the mark.”

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has appealed for calm today as the authorities in England attempt to determine the source of an outbreak of bird flu at a Suffolk farm.

Speaking from Strasbourg Mr Nicholson said,

“DEFRA must act swiftly to contain and trace the origins of this latest bird flu outbreak.

“The Government was right to close the area down quickly but they must ensure that the exclusion zone is properly enforced and act ruthlessly to stamp out the disease and identify its source. It is important that this action is matched by increased vigilance and bio – security in the weeks ahead. Allowing it to spread would do untold damage to the sustainability and viability of the entire poultry industry.

“In the event of an outbreak of bird flu in Northern Ireland public communication will be essential to dealing with the problem. Information must be given to the public promptly, efficiently and in an easily accesible manner so that they know what to do should they discover a dead bird. Time is of the essence.

“DEFRA must keep all poultry keepers informed. During the last outbreak, keepers complained that not enough information was being provided and not quickly enough. Farmers must know exactly what they have to do.

“It is unfortunate but it appears that outbreaks of bird flu will become a sad reality across all of Europe. Bird Flu is no respecter of borders and as such requries a strategic and coordinated response to combat it at European level.”

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has launched a blistering attack on the European Commission today over their stance on imports of Brazilian beef to the EU.

Mr Nicholson was speaking as the European Union’s Food and Veterinary Office published their latest report on Brazil’s failure to meet EU standards and food safety controls.

The FVO report found that:

- The Brazilian State Veterinary Service had no systematic audit system for animal health.
- No criteria for such an audit established.
- Cold stores in ports dealing with beef destined for Europe were not audited.
- There was a lack of adequate trained staff in the State Veterinary Service.
- Shortcomings that previous FVO investigations had identified had not been addressed.
- The 90-day residence rule on cattle destined for EU was regularly broken.
- Insufficient protection against rodents and insects by food Business operators.
- Operation hygiene could not be fully guaranteed.

Speaking from Brussels Mr Nicholson said,

“Once again we have concrete evidence to support the introduction of an immediate ban on imports of Brazilian beef to the EU. The Commission cannot be allowed to duck the responsibility they have to consumers and the farming industry to ban this sub standard product immediately. It is time they took their head out of the sand on the issue.

“Time after time, Brazilian beef has been proven to be of a sub – standard nature. Traceability is non-existent, there are no controls at regional borders, no controls on animal movement and there are risks of further Foot and Mouth outbreaks. Northern Ireland’s farmers must comply with the high standards laid down by the EU in terms of health, food safety and traceability so why shouldn’t imports coming into the EU from other countries do the same?

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott has said that the Hillyard report into the Water charges here has not clarified what the position of farmers will be once the new billing structure is implemented in 2009.

Mr Elliott said “While the Hillyard report into water charges has stated that from 2009 the new billing structure will be introduced through the rates, it has not clarified what will happen to farmers and businesses who already pay off a metered system. I myself am just one of many farmers across Northern Ireland who for years has been paying through a meter. When the new system is introduced does this mean that I will have to pay twice for my water, once through my meter and once through my rates? This is something that needs clarification so that farmers will have clear knowledge of how the changes will affect them, just like everyone else in Northern Ireland.”

The current metering system used by farmers will remain in place at least until 2009 when the wholesale changes for Northern Ireland concerning the payment for water will take place. Mr Elliott stresses that is unfair upon farmers to not let them know what is going to happen in their situation, while the rest of the country is made aware of exactly how the changes will impact their lives.

The agricultural spokesman for the Ulster Unionist Party went on to say: “Now that un-clarified proposals for the introduction of water charges have been drawn-up, clear direction should be given as to what is really behind the proposals. Anyone who met me on the doorsteps throughout the election period in March knows that I was in strong opposition to the introduction of additional water charges. My view remains the same.”

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has said that Love Beef Week – an initiative by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) to highlight Northern Ireland’s exceptional Farm Quality Assured (FQA) beef – reminds us how important it is to support local farmers by buying local produce first. Northern Ireland’s first Love Beef Week has been running from Monday and ends this Saturday (3rd November).

Mr Nicholson also called for more transparent and rigorous food labelling, which shows clearly where the origin of the produce is.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“Over the past year I have been campaigning hard to get the European Commission to ban imports of Brazilian beef to the EU. Time and time again, it has been independently proven to be of a sub – standard nature. Cheap imports of food from South America and South East Asia, which are not produced to the highest of European standards, have done tremendous damage to the local beef and lamb industry.

“However, the Love Beef Week campaign, which has been running all week, provides all of us with a stark reminder of how important it is to support local farmers by purchasing local produce first.

“The long term interest of the agri – food industry is best served by Northern Ireland’s consumers demanding quality local produce. Buying local first strengthens the local economy and also helps the environment. When moving produce around the world we must consider how many food miles the produce has travelled and the environmental impact of moving produce such a large distance.

“To help consumers make an informed choice to buy local produce first, they need more rigorous and transparent food labelling. Inadequate and misleading labelling prevents consumers from being able to make that informed choice.

”In many cases food can be imported to Northern Ireland, processed here, and then labelled in a way that suggests it is genuinely British. This misleading practice must come to an end.”

Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has warned that the constituency’s farming community needs urgent action from the Exectuive if it is not to face the same financial ruin that happened to Northern Ireland’s linen industry.

Assemblyman Dr Coulter added: “Whilst as a community, we greatly welcome the Executive budget proposals for spending more than five billion pounds on hospitals, schools and roads across the Province over the next three years as well as the challenge of creating 6,500 jobs, the Executive must ensure our at times hard-pressed farming community gets its fair share of the investment.

“Agriculture is one of the main industries in this predominantly rural constituency and our farming community was already strained to breaking point because of the Foot and Mouth crisis.
“North Antrim’s farming families provide a massive contribution to the social, economic and environmental life of the constituency.

“Those families have had to face the various economic millstones heaped on them by the European Union. They want to see urgent action in terms of cash aid, not pathetic words of sympathy or empty promises.

“The agricultural community forms not just a major part of the commercial backbone of North Antrim, but also of this entire Province. We must not allow the fight to save this important industry to become a party political or sectarian football. I would appeal to the entire North Antrim community to unite behind the constituency’s farmers.

“The livelihoods of many thousands of people in the farming industry are at risk right across the Province. However, it is not only those directly involved in farming who stand to lose if the Ulster agricultural industry goes under financially.

“The vast consumer market in Northern Ireland will also suffer. They represent the hundreds of thousands of people in the Province who buy farm produce, such as milk, beef, bacon, eggs, poultry products, and vegetables.

“Various sectors of the Province’s farming community have suffered drastically for more than a decade. The beef, poultry, pig and land-based farmers have all faced financial ruin in recent years. The time has come for a community-wide campaign to save our farming industry, whatever the sector. This united campaign must spread across every city, town, village and hamlet in our Province.

“The people of Northern Ireland can help considerably by ensuring when they buy their groceries from the shops and supermarkets, that they only purchase commodities produced by our local farmers. In this fight to save our local farming industry, each of us has a role to play. Let us all move forward together as a community and ensure that the Ulster farming industry survives well into the new millennium,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.

Tom Elliot, UUP agriculture spokesman has responded to the Department of Finance’s revelation that they are considering the imposition of a tax on agricultural land in Northern Ireland. The proposals came to light following SDLP member Declan O’Loan receiving a response to a written question he had submitted to the Department on the issue.

Mr Elliott commented,

“Such proposals must be stopped in their tracks immediately. Farming is already taxed enough as it is and in days when farmers already see very little return for their outgoings, an additional rates tax on the farming community could have catastrophic effects.

“The tax would also not be practical to administer, and would cause difficulties for all involved. Such a tax is not found elsewhere in the UK and Northern Ireland should be no different. If more money is needed for the Government of Northern Ireland, it should be found elsewhere, the farming community should not be used as an easy target.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has stated that the launch of a campaign by ‘Food Promotion Northern Ireland’ is encouraging, but noted that there was a real need for the campaign to gain impetus among all sections of the food industry in Northern Ireland.

Tom said “The news that this coming February will see the launch of a campaign by ‘Food Promotion Northern Ireland’ to advertise local produce is something which certainly deserves praise. It has been clear for quite some time now that action was needed to address the declining profits faced by the agricultural industry. This campaign will hopefully encourage local people that home-grown produce is the best for them and their families.

“As things currently stand only a small proportion (approximately 30%) of our local produce stays here in Northern Ireland. It is vital that the local services including Restaurants and Cafes buy-in to the campaign and support local people by using local produce. With their support new doors would open up to the agricultural industry through increased profit and some much needed encouragement would help lift the pressure currently felt by farmers throughout the country.”

The main method of bringing the campaign into the public sphere will come through the media, including two television adverts which are set to begin in February next year. Under the title “Northern Ireland: Good food is in our nature” the campaign managers hope that people here will grasp the importance of supporting local farmers. Local retailers and businesses can do their part by advertising the slogan and purchasing home-grown food to create their produce.

Tom went on to say “I have never been in any doubt that a national strategy was needed to support local agriculture and I openly encourage everyone in Northern Ireland to play their part by supporting this venture. Only by working together as a community can the local agricultural industry return to the levels of prominence it once enjoyed. It is to the advantage of everyone to have a vibrant and healthy agriculture sector given its position as the largest source of employment in the private sector.

“It is my firm belief that if this campaign is successful it will provide the impetus for further advertising, not only here in Northern Ireland but throughout the rest of the United Kingdom and into Europe. Our main export retailer in that of mainland UK and it is pivotal that while this campaign seeks to help the industry at home we should not focus solely inward but be mindful to continue making our presence felt throughout the United Kingdom.”