ISRAF
The Independent Strategic Review of NI Agri-Food (ISRAF) will provide a sharp, focussed review to help set the strategic direction of the sector. The review will be led by Sir Peter Kendall, who brings decades of experience and expertise to the role, with the report expected to be published in October. Speaking following the meeting, FFA Northern Ireland co-ordinator William Taylor said: “The ISRAF team made it clear they were behind FFA all the way on climate change; however, were nervous about minimum pricing at the farm gate.They made it abundantly clear they agreed with FFA 100% on the urgency of the matter and praised FFA’s forward-thinking, innovation, their can-do attitude and support for the Climate Change Bill."FFA highlighted the impact of fossil fuels in causing climate change and urged Sir Kendall to ensure the food processing industry is held to account to eliminate emissions and single-use plastic with the greatest of urgency. "...most of all the UK Government needs to urgently end spouting double standards - on the one hand signing up trade deals around the world with UK Agriculture the sacrificial lamb and on the other hand claiming to deal with climate change as we head towards the summit in Glasgow in November," Taylor said. “In short, you cannot claim to abide by the Climate Change Accord and then haul eg beef or lamb from Australia when the UK and Ireland as our nearest exporting neighbour are self-sufficient in these products. The unnecessary carbon footprint is outrageous.”
Cost of production linked pricing
However, Taylor explained that farmers needed to be adequately compensated for meeting the obligations of higher standards. "FFA explained that Government in Northern Ireland could not expect family farmers to tackle climate change or anything else going forward without the Northern Ireland Farm Welfare Bill being enacted," he said.The group's NI Farm Welfare Bill, which is currently with the Agriculture Committee at Stormont, proposes setting minimum prices for agricultural produce based on the inflation-linked cost of production plus a margin.
However, the ISRAF team were concerned that setting minimum pricing and could have market implications and also affect Northern Ireland's exports. "FFA pointed out that Northern Ireland family farmers had delivered what the Agri-Food Strategy Board requested in 2013, they had embraced RHI [the Renewable Heat Incentive], they have delivered the nation’s food supply through Covid-19 - all this, yet no significant uplift in farm-gate prices," Taylor added.