AQW 20181/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 09/06/2021
Answered On Date: 24/06/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in light of the Assembly agreeing a motion in support of nature friendly farming systems, to detail the steps his Department will now be taking to enable nature friendly farming at scale.

Answer:

I have shared my vison for future agriculture around an industry that pursues increased productivity, is environmentally sustainable, displays improved resilience and operates within a functional supply chain. A major part of future agricultural policy will be the agri-environment programme. As I have previously indicated, we need to create a regime that properly incentivises and rewards the protection of existing environmental assets and the creation of new ones.

Work is ongoing to develop future agri-environment policy and schemes. Schemes to facilitate ecosystem restoration, to address biodiversity loss, water and air quality are all under consideration as part of this policy development.

As I communicated at the Motion on 7 June, my officials are continuing to engage with farmers, farm managers and environmental organisations to develop those policy proposals.