Cattle cull row: Ulster Farmers' Union calls for resignation of Daera minister Andrew Muir and his top officials
Northern Ireland’s main farming union has demanded the resignations of the agriculture minister, his most senior official and the country’s top vet in the wake of a controversial cattle cull.
The incident took place on a farm near Fivemiletown in June, after a court issued a disposal order against a farmer who had been disqualified for life from keeping, owning or participating in the keeping of animals.
However, critics have questioned whether the cull was necessary – as well as the manner in which it was carried out.
Now, Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) reaffirmed its vote of no confidence in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) – and extended it to Minister Andrew Muir, Permanent Secretary Katrina Godfrey and Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher, calling for their immediate resignations.
The decision was reached during an emergency meeting of the UFU Executive on Thursday, after members “considered the information currently available”.
The UFU also concluded that it does not have the confidence in the independence of the minister’s review into the shooting of 51 cattle in a field in Fivemiletown in June.
They say they don’t support the review as presently constituted, including the scope of the Terms of Reference and appointment of a single person to conduct it.
The UFU says it “has consistently maintained that an investigation into an incident of this seriousness must be demonstrably independent, robust and capable of commanding the confidence of farm families and the wider public”.
The organisation’s president John McLenaghan said, “This is not a decision the UFU has taken lightly. However, confidence has been severely damaged and the most recent event is just one of many instances where farmers feel that the Department has lost touch with farmers.
“Serious concerns have been raised regarding the independence of the review, its Terms of Reference and lack of specialist panel appointed. In the view of our Union, the process as it currently stands does not provide the level of independence and confidence that farmers deserve.”
“Independence cannot just be simply stated, it must be evident in how a review is established, who conducts it, what they are empowered to investigate and whether they are able to follow the evidence wherever it leads.”
Mr McLenaghan continued, "The UFU’s position is clear. We no longer have confidence that the Department can deliver.”
The UFU says it will “continue to press for an independent, transparent, and public review of the Fivemiletown operation”.
On Monday, at an emergency meeting of a Stormont committee, the Alliance minister and senior officials expressed their upset over the incident – but also robustly defended the decisions taken on the day.
The minister said he appreciated “genuine and legitimate” concerns expressed by members of the public over the operation to cull the cows.
Mr Muir warned about the “very real impact of some of the misleading and inaccurate reporting and commentary” around the case.
“The wave of misogynistic, sectarian and homophobic hate, threats and intimidation against both officials and myself is despicable and deeply concerning”, he told MLAs on the agriculture committee.
The Daera minister said that he had received a death threat over the matter. “The fact that I have had to discuss this with the police and also officials are having to consider security measures and personal safety is unacceptable and seriously troubling.
“The misogynistic, sectarian and homophobic abuse does not reflect the majority of farmers who are respectful and kind”, he said.