Letter: Costs now crippling most farming sectors in Northern Ireland and young people are being driven away
A letter from Sean McAuley:
Rising fuel, fertiliser and many other costs are now crippling most farming sectors in Northern Ireland - however, alongside this, abysmal farm gate prices (bar maybe one sector), are breaking the camel’s back.
DAERA is making things worse by continuingly increasing regulation now to the point where farmers have to complete course after course to qualify for their annual diminishing support money.
It is increasingly noticeable that it is elderly farmers or late middle age farmers who are completing the courses with family members carrying out the online parts for them.
Young farmers who have off-farm work are not prepared to lose hours of proper pay to carry out petty unpaid courses. Time for Stormont to wake up - ‘your’ farming industry is declining fast and it’s your fault for being asleep at the wheel.
Such is the pressure on Northern Ireland’s farmers today, with the average age now 59-60 years old, and young people being driven away from the land financially and with lack of planning movement, it is no wonder that Rural Support, the Samaritans and other charities are so busy with rural request for help.
Donald Trump’s son recently said: ‘Why would you persecute farmers? They work 24/7, give no one any trouble and deliver.’
Sean McAuley, Farmers For Action steering committee member