Post 2020 subs for northern farms

Mtx

Gove talked about a subsidy based on productivity , what exactly does this mean? A payment on the amount of animals you have? If so , wouldn't farmers just be milking the system expanding until 2020 and then dropping the numbers. Seems like a joke to me, it should be a yearly payment on your numbers.

Mtx

Bump

Bass Reeves

After brexit the UK will be a net food importer. Is this a change to there system to encourage agriculture expansion. We will have to wait for more detail

squinn2912

Doesn’t really strike me thatbthere is much of a plan at all. Conservative government only care about the north tobtge extent that dup prop up their position. Prices for beef anyhow are much higher in England, Scotland and Wales so perhaps it’s more lucrative even with no subsidy. I think there’ll be some shortsighted measure taken that will need to be dumped by the tories or whomever replaces them when they implode due to brexit. After RHI nothing would surprise me

Mtx

Heard on BBC Ulster that one of the possible suggestions is a basic income which would be massively reduced than current levels. It has to go public consultation however it isn't going far with no government!

Mtx

I may be wrong but the dup would massively favour a subsidy based on productivity to cater for larger farms and their pals in the Ulster farmers union .

squinn2912

Is this proposed sub something to go alongside single farm payment or to replace it? I think there needs to be a sub on the suckler cow to encourage beef breeding. The fact that the lim/fr cross has been pushed as the best suckler cow isn't a great indicator. I have my doubts, particularly in the north. In any case it is a concern that the entire industry is propped up by subs.

Mtx

squinn2912 wrote: »

Is this proposed sub something to go alongside single farm payment or to replace it? I think there needs to be a sub on the suckler cow to encourage beef breeding. The fact that the lim/fr cross has been pushed as the best suckler cow isn't a great indicator. I have my doubts, particularly in the north. In any case it is a concern that the entire industry is propped up by subs.

It's to replace them, the idea is to have payments based on productivity and payments for environmental schemes(which nobody knows about).
We had the first year of our environmental scheme this year, it covered hedge planting, watercourse fencing, wildflower margins, drinkers etc. Not a profit making scheme at all. Some farmers that could, have expanded knowing that during 2017-2020 their stock numbers will used for payments post 2022. It's devolved so we don't have to copy the mainland UK in how they arrange their payments. Very worrying with no government in place to decide anything. As for suckler cows, we basically don't exist, it's either sheep or dairy. Dairy crosses are everywhere, breeding improvements are out the window. It's not my main worry, a large reduction in subs will be the last nail coffin for NI sucklers.

squinn2912

Thought as much. So the farmer isn't to get anything extra anyhow. When you say WE are you talking NI? Not having a government in place is a disaster in so many ways. If you look right across the board the key decisions that can't or aren't being made are hurting the most vulnerable and dependent in society. Terrible.
Yea I agree the bigger issue is that subs will be reduced significantly for the many in order preserve the few. It's a pity that sucklers are gone out the window too. The dairy crosses will soon also be a waste of time and we'll all be rearing fr bullocks to feed a dairy beef system.

Mtx

Some hope for suckler farmers anyway
https://www.farmersjournal.ie/pleas-for-targeted-support-for-sucklers-in-ni-371771

squinn2912

Good to see some bit of clamour for it but I'll not get too excited just yet.