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Agriculture Community Government Stormont

Rescuing Lives From the Skies

Almost £500,000 has been given to two search and rescue groups that played a vital role in controlling last year’s devastating fire on the Mourne Mountains. Mourne Mountain Rescue received £212,000 and Skywatch NI received £284,000 from the new £2million Covid Scheme announced by Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots. The scheme will help nine of […]

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Agriculture Council Government NMD Council South Armagh

Minister Poots’ Proposals Could Devastate Small Farms and Rural Planning – Magennis

Sinn Féin Councillor Oonagh Magennis, has said that small farmers must have their voices heard as Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots brings forward plans for a future agriculture policy. The Slieve Gullion Councillor said: “Farmers have been waiting anxiously to find out what policies the Minister plans to put in place in the wake of Brexit […]

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Advertising Banbridge Election 2022 Government Stormont Upper Bann

Standing Up For Farmers – Dodds

Upper Bann DUP MLA Diane Dodds today stood alongside farmers and representatives of the agri food sector as they made their views known to MLAs ahead of the climate change debate at Stormont. Speaking on the Bill and the changes sought by SF, The Alliance party and others Mrs Dodds said, “Climate change legislation should […]

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Agriculture Politics South Armagh

Magennis Voices Concerns on Red Diesel Legislation

Oonagh Magennis, Sinn Féin Councillor for Slieve Gullion has echoed the words of her party colleague, Caoimhe Archibald MLA; warning that changes to the entitlement for red diesel will be another hit to struggling businesses and could potentially put jobs at risk. Oonagh explained: “The change to the entitlement won’t reduce emissions, it will increase […]

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Agriculture Armagh Newry South Armagh

Red Diesel Rule Changes Fuel Further Concern – Irwin

Newry & Armagh DUP Assemblyman and DAERA Committee member William Irwin MLA has said that the red diesel rule changes, whilst not severely impacting farming processes, will have an impact economically across many sectors, including hugely popular charity tractor runs. Mr Irwin said the fact that in response to a recent UFU and HMRC webinar, […]

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Agriculture Business Downpatrick Kilkeel South Down

McKee Hits Out at HMRC Plans on Red Diesel

Traditional Unionist Voice Mourne Councillor and South Down candidate for the 2022 Assembly elections Harold McKee joined the UFU on Tuesday via zoom to listen to HMRC officials explain the new changes to rebated fuel from 1 April 2022. Councillor McKee said: “These changes will be as a result of the 2020 and 2021 Budgets […]

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Agriculture

Minister Poots Launches Carbon Initiative on Dairy Farms

A new initiative to help tackle carbon emissions within the dairy sector has been launched by Agriculture and Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA. The voluntary programme of carbon benchmarks on Business Development Group (BDG) dairy farms will start in 2022.  Minister Poots said: “I am delighted to announce that a dairy carbon audits programme has been […]

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Agriculture

Poots Announces £12m Scheme for Farmers

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has announced that Tier 2 of the Farm Business Improvement Scheme – Capital (FBIS-C) will open for applications on 10 January 2022. The funding for farmers and growers will provide transformational investment in on-farm projects costing in excess of £30,000. Speaking at the RUAS Winter Fair, Minister Poots said: “I am […]

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Agriculture Crime Newry

Newry Man Convicted For Waste and Pollution Offences

A confiscation order totaling £177,123.53 has been granted by Newry Crown Court on 3rd December 2021 against Mr. James Morgan (38) of Benagh Road, Newry, County Down, for keeping and disposing controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution and without a license contrary to the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. […]

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Agriculture Community

It’s Access All Areas Thanks to Poots

Ensuring our natural environment is fully accessible to everyone is vital work to build equality and an inclusive society, says Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA. Introducing a new video, launched on International Day of People with Disabilities, the Minister said it highlights the projects his department is working on to introduce new facilities to connect more people […]

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Agriculture Community Politics

Executive Climate Change Department Could See Northern Ireland Lead The Way

An Executive Department for Climate Change could see Northern Ireland lead the way with targets to combat the climate crisis, Alliance Climate Change spokesperson Eóin Tennyson has said. A recent report by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee suggested a climate change commissioner to scrutinise the Executive. However, Eóin said a specific […]

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Agriculture Armagh

Over £360K Funding Boost for Two Rural Armagh Communities

Two rural communities in County Armagh have benefited from more than £360,000 grant funding from the Basic Services Scheme of the NI Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 – funded by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and European Union (EU), and delivered by Southern Organisation for Action in Rural Areas (SOAR ABC). SOAR ABC […]