Agriculture

Eels being sorted at Lough Neagh Eel Fishermen's Co-operative Society.

£700,000 support to support Northern Ireland’s eel industry

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said his Bill will ensure councils have enforcement powers to tackle dilapidated and dangerous buildings and neglected sites.

New powers on dilapidated buildings 'could transform neighbourhoods’

Illegal dumping at the Londonderry site

Minister to learn cost of cleaning up illegal Mobuoy dump site in coming weeks

Large wildfires raged in the Mourne Mountains.

Stormont minister reaffirms climate action following record hot summer

New AERA committee chair Diana Armstrong MLA.

Armstrong to be guided by her father's principles in new role

Construction led growth across the economy as every council area recorded an increase in VAT and PAYE-registered businesses during the year to March 2026

NI business numbers climb to record 82,680 as growth streak reaches 12 years

Farming star Harriet Cowan has written a book about her life on the farm

Clarkson's Farm fans can pre-order Harriet Cowan's new book for free

The land-based sector adds £2.5 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) and supports 452,900 jobs, often in rural and remote areas.

Ad Feature Failure to invest in agricultural training risks UK food security

CallRevu is the leading communication intelligence platform built for automotive retail

Ad Feature CallRevu takes automotive communication global with new acquisition

Vigilance has been urged for sightings of Asian hornets in Co Down. Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images

Vigilance urged for sightings of Asian hornets

The Ulster Farmers Union says jobs could be under threat from looming changes to Northern Ireland's employment laws.

Farm jobs threat from new employment laws - union fears 'unsustainable costs'

A new action plan has been launched aimed at reducing the threat of wildfires in Northern Ireland.

New action plan launched aimed at reducing wildfires in Northern Ireland

A dead black headed gull at pictured in June 2023. Disease control measures have been put in place as a suspected case of bird flu has been flagged in Omagh

Disease controls imposed as suspected bird flu case flagged in Omagh

Political commentator and Presbyterian minister's son Dr John Coulter.

Dr John Coulter: Counting sheep! Past Memories of Young Farmers' Clubs

A Stormont minister has urged the public to “paws” for thought before buying a pet to gift for Christmas.

Minister urges ‘paws’ for thought before purchasing a pet for Christmas

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEARA) Minister Andrew Muir

Andrew Muir to back Liz Kimmins’ appeal against halting of A5 road upgrade
Agriculture and Environment Minister Andrew Muir has secured permission to intervene in support of Stormont colleague Liz Kimmins’ appeal against a ruling that halted the £1.7bn A5 road upgrade.
Alan Erwin

Blue-green algae at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh near Cookstown in Co Tyrone. Andrew Muir hasurged MLAs for support as he asks the Stormont Executive to agree in principle to the establishment of an independent, environmental protection agency in Northern Ireland

Set up independent agency to protect NI environment now, says Muir

East Londonderry UUP Association Chairman Robert Carmichael.

Bigger shift needed on farm inheritance tax, UUP urges Government

Blue-green algae at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh near Cookstown in Co Tyrone on August 25, 2025.

Muir ‘fast losing patience’ with Infrastructure Department over water pollution

A claim of there being a “battle a day” at the Stormont Executive was a “surprise to me”, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said.

Claim of ‘battle a day’ at Stormont Executive a ‘surprise to me’ – Mike Nesbitt

Relations at the Stormont Executive have been described as a “battle a day”

‘Battle a day’ at Stormont Executive, says minister

East Londonderry UUP Association Chairman Robert Carmichael.

Don't get caught napping over nutrients programme, UUP urges community

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir at the launch of the Northern Ireland Peatland Strategy 2040 on Divis Mountain on the outskirts of Belfast with members of the Peatland Collaborative Network. Pic: DAERA/PA Wire

Peatland rescue plan launched to safeguard resource covering one-eighth of NI

Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir MLA with Simon Fitzpatrick, general manager during a visit to Coca-Cola HBC’s Knockmore Hill production facility in Lisburn to see the newly upgraded Combined Heat and Power plant, now powered by renewable biomethane. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press Eye

Less fizz, more future: Coca-Cola powers up NI plant with local biomethane

Lough Neagh at Ballyronan. The lough has been blighted with blue-green algae in recent summers, with noxious blooms covering large swathes of the surface.

Lough Neagh crisis has 'become a political problem'

The lough has been blighted with blue-green algae in recent summers, with noxious blooms covering large swathes of the surface.

Call for urgent cross-party action to save Lough Neagh

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEARA) Minister Andrew Muir

Draft climate plan proposes hundreds of actions to protect Northern Ireland
Hundreds of actions are being considered in the latest proposed plan to tackle climate change in Northern Ireland.
Rebecca Black, PA

An anti-pollution rally in Belfast city centre in November 2024 demanded action on Lough Neagh. Photo: Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Scrap protection for 'corporate polluters' NI Water, says Environment Minister

A nippy number - JCB's new TM110 tele wheeled loader.

JCB adds ultra-compact Telemaster to loader range

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivering her spring statement in the House of Commons, London.

Chancellor’s statement: Others paying for failings of government, says Wilson

Farmers and their tractors have been protesting in Westminster, London over the changes to inheritance tax (IHT) rules in the budget which introduced new taxes on farms worth more than £1 million

Letter: UK's food system is riddled with unfairness

William Irvine, president of the UFU

UFU to meet Treasury next week over proposed changes to inheritance tax

Carla Lockhart MP

MPs and peers unite against agri-farm tax proposals

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir MLA has announced the launch of the Farming for the Generations pilot scheme

New pilot scheme launched for succession planning for farm families

Ad Feature Your questions around diversifying land to solar technology answered

Verbier and the Val de Bagnes in the summer. Credit: Lucia Harrison/Verbier Tourisme

Dodge the Verbier crowds and visit in the summer for great gastronomy

A photo taken by police officers from the PSNI helicopter on Sunday shows a return of algal blooms on Lough Neagh.

Lough Neagh plan is not radical enough says expert

Lough Neagh is the UK and Ireland's largest freshwater lake

Minister Andrew Muir says Lough Neagh action plan must be signed off urgently

Royal Highland Show

Watch hour-long Royal Highland Show highlights each day on Shots! TV

Vodafone has reaffirmed its commitment to providing 5G Standalone (5G SA) to Northern Ireland, as a result of its proposed merger with Three UK

Vodafone pledges to deploy 5G across rural Northern Ireland

The show was a four-day shop window for the best of NI farming

Balmoral 2024 just the boost our farming and food sector really needed

Crowds packed into the venue to watch the day's events get under way. (Photo: Jonathan Porter/Press Eye)

Balmoral Show 2024: Positive message on food output and climate change

There are fears blue-green algae will return to Lough Neagh this summer

'Fair' budget allocation needed to address Lough Neagh issues says Andrew Muir

Belfast-headquartered Germinal, a pioneer in grass and forage seed breeding, has announced the appointment of David Little as agricultural product manager for Ireland

Germinal appoints Banbridge farmer as agricultural product manager for Ireland

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Assembly urged to combat pollution

Pictured in November 1980 at the Ulster Ram Breeders Association annual dinner and prize distribution which was held at Ballymena, pictured are W B Stevenson, second right, URBA president, with Harold Dickey, secretary, Jack McElroy, chairman, and James Armstrong, secretary. Picture: Farming Life archives/Darryl Armitage

The magical 300-egger is ‘in the hatching’ declares minister (1973)

Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Northern Ireland manager (left), and Stuart Mills, YFCU president (right). Copyright: YFCU

NFU Mutual affirms Platinum support package for YFCU

The UK is not on track to reach legally binding targets to reduce carbon pollution. Photo: Adobe

Going Green: Where does the UK sit in the world rankings?

Last weekend the Ulster Folk Museum celebrated Ferguson Tractor Day and offered visitors an insight into the legacy of agricultural innovator, Harry Ferguson with working ploughing and cultivating demonstrations using vintage Ferguson tractors as part of their Ferguson Day celebrations. Picture: Darryl Armitage

Watch: Working in the fields at the Ferguson Tractor Day at the Ulster Folk Park

Last weekend the Ulster Folk Museum celebrated Ferguson Tractor Day and offered visitors an insight into the legacy of agricultural innovator, Harry Ferguson with working ploughing and cultivating demonstrations using vintage Ferguson tractors as part of their Ferguson Day celebrations. Picture: Darryl Armitage

Watch: More from last weekend's Ferguson Tractor Day at the Ulster Folk Museum

Last weekend the Ulster Folk Museum celebrated Ferguson Tractor Day and offered visitors an insight into the legacy of agricultural innovator, Harry Ferguson with working ploughing and cultivating demonstrations using vintage Ferguson tractors as part of their Ferguson Day celebrations. Picture: Darryl Armitage

Watch: Ulster Folk Museum celebrates Ferguson Tractor Day

The Ulster Folk Museum will celebrate Ferguson Tractor Day on Saturday 24th June, from 10am to 5pm in collaboration with the Ferguson Heritage Tractor Society. Picture: NMNI

Ulster Folk Museum gears up to celebrate Ferguson Tractor Day this month

Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper is launching a new bursary with the Royal Agriculture University.

Clarkson’s Farm side-kick Kaleb Cooper announces huge career move

Susan Miller of Co Meath and Pennie Martin of Newtownards with Sukie the Poodle watching the competitions at the Ulster Pony Society Show at Balmoral, Belfast, in July 1982. Picture: News Letter archives

Bygone Days: UFU to raise CAP worries with Secretary of State

Project Stratum had delivered broadband to 22,000 hard-to-reach premises by the end of 2021

Broadband scheme Project Stratum extended to reach another 8,500 homes and busin...

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