Political opinion: Give more cash to young farmers, UUP urges Stormont
Robert Carmichael, East Londonderry Ulster Unionist Association Chairman, has called on the Stormont Executive, and especially the Agriculture Minister, to pump more cash into the work of Young Farmers’ Clubs.
Speaking on behalf of the UUP association, Mr Carmichael said: “The Young Farmers’ Clubs network across the Province provides a valuable role in developing the next generation of farmers.
“This means it is vitally important that the Stormont Executive and especially the Agriculture Minister provides as much funding as possible to support the Young Farmers’ Clubs and keep as many young folk as possible in farming as a career.
“Our farming community faces numerous challenges at the moment, especially in the area of inheritance taxes, which could see either farms going out of business completely or young people deciding to pursue other careers other than farming because of the financial stresses.
“Providing much-needed funding for Young Farmers’ Clubs is one pro-active policy which can help guarantee the new generation of farmers see agriculture as a worthwhile career.
“As a UUP association, we would also encourage as many young people - irrespective if their family backgrounds - as possible to become involved with their local Young Farmers’ Club. Such clubs are not just an integral part of the specific agricultural community, but of the wider society in general.
“As a UUP association, too, we also call on the Stormont Education Minister to provide funding to promote the valuable role of farming as part of the school curriculum, both at primary and secondary levels.
“Such a move by the Minister would be an extension of the UUP’s call to ‘think local, support local, buy local’ in terms of buying produce produced by our farming community.
“The Stormont Executive needs to face the reality that if it wants to see a thriving and secure farming industry for generations to come, it must invest in our young people,” said Mr Carmichael.