Fermanagh now has a new lobby group for farmers.
The SDA Group set up to campaign for a single region in Northern Ireland for the new CAP reforms at a meeting in Derrygonnelly, has now opened an office and is taking membership.
The group representing farmers on mostly marginal land in Fermanagh, says a number of decisions by the Agriculture Minister, Michelle O’Neill were as a result of pressure exerted by them.
Set up to support DARD’s single-model for CAP reform following a meeting of almost 700 farmers in Derrygonnelly in January, it has been continuing to represent farmers’ interests at Stormont.
Chairman, Peter Gallagher, stated this week, “There appears to be a real lack of understanding of what farming on the marginal lands really means in a practical sense and this is not helped by some sources claiming we are unproductive farmers. Many issues have also been brought to our attention as there is a real sense of despair on the ground by the way the farmers and their livelihoods are presently being represented.”
The group said the Minister’s decision to postpone the date of the transfer of entitlements from April 2 to May 2 was as a result of pressure from their group which they said would give farmers more time to look at their options.
The SDA group also lobbied the Minister on the meat plants’ plans for new penalties from April 1 and they say as a result, she promptly met NIMEA which forced them to postpone these plans until June.
Peter added, “It is clear from our daily conversations with the farmers on the ground that there are many more very real issues which need to be addressed, and the issues highlighted above are still very much in the balance. There is a great need for practical hands on advice and representation for our farmers at this crucial time in agriculture. As one farmer stated ‘in my 30 years of farming I have never witnessed a time of so much uncertainty and so little guidance.’
“The SDA Group believe strongly that agriculture in Northern Ireland has a bright and positive future if we better arm our farmers so that they can make better business decisions for themselves.
“In order to achieve this goal the SDA Group have opened an office to offer advice to farmers and are now currently taking membership.”
Anyone requiring further informatiom is asked to contact 07747060591 or email mail@sda-group.org
The group claim to have a following of over 700 people, most of whom attended the meeting in Derrygonnelly with other groups in NI aligning themselves under their banner.
(Source – Impartial Reporter – Brian Donaldson – 06/03/2014)