Motion

Motion TitlePromoting On Farm Investment

Motion TextThat this Assembly believes investment in new and replacement farm buildings is essential to improving agriculture’s environmental footprint in Northern Ireland; criticises the decision to drop the published Ammonia Standing Advice used by the NIEA to assess the air quality impacts associated with many planning applications; recalls that this decision was made without Ministerial approval or prior consultation; notes with concern recent research conducted by KPMG on behalf of the Northern Ireland agri-food industry, which found that more stringent ammonia regulation could lead to fewer successful planning applications, a 20 to 25 per cent decline in on farm investment and reduce family farm incomes by up to 38 per cent in some sectors; calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to acknowledge that the investment in, and modernisation of, farm facilities will promote animal welfare and reduce future emissions; further calls on the Minister to reject policies which constrain plans to invest in and modernise farm facilities; and calls on the Minister to place the needs of primary producers and consultation with the agri-food industry at the forefront of any new ammonia strategy.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Date Tabled to Business Office14/05/2024

Date Selected By Committee04/06/2024

Date of Plenary Debate17/06/2024