Ulster Unionist Agriculture Spokesperson Jo-Anne Dobson MLA has highlighted the ‘significant anger’ which exists in the farming community across Northern Ireland following the announcement that DARD have effectively reduced the scope of the Countryside Management Scheme from an expected 1,300 to less than 200 projects.

Mrs Dobson said “The funding for the Countryside Management Scheme is taken from our farmers through modulation. This is their money and DARD are openly admitting that they are not competent enough to administer it to deliver real benefits across our local farms – this will cause significant concerns amongst farmers.

The Ulster Unionist MLA questioned DARD officials at this week’s Agriculture Committee at Stormont, asking for further details on this issue and also “a full explanation as to what has gone wrong here.” Most farmers don’t have an option but to give up a portion of their Single Farm Payment which is aimed at improving the countryside for everyone and will be angered to hear that this funding has been ‘parked’ in this way.

“One Departmental official, in answer to questioning on the topic during the Committee meeting, acknowledged that they are ‘not super-human in the Department,’ yet they expect farmers to be super-human when filling in their forms and communicating with the Department.

Mrs Dobson continued: “Last week I, alongside other members of the Stormont Agriculture Committee, attended a Farmers Breakfast which was hosted by the RSPB at Stormont. Many of those farmers attending were strong advocates for the impact of the projects approved under the Countryside Management Scheme and will be dismayed by this announcement.

“Now that this decision has been taken we must focus on what DARD intend to do with the money. One thing farmers will be crystal clear about is that this money must remain in Northern Ireland and not, through the inability of DARD to deliver, be returned to Europe unused. It must be used to bring benefit to the Northern Ireland Agricultural Industry and returning it to Europe would result in deep anger amongst farmers not to mention constitute another backward step in countryside management.”