UUP urges 'Eat In The East' in bid to boost local farming

Mr Carmichael warned the inheritance tax laws would have “devastating consequences for East Londonderry’s vital farming industry, so the support of the local community is essential in terms of adopting a mindset of buy local, support local, eat local”.

He added that the Province’s growing tourist trade had a moral obligation to help East Londonderry farms through “buying local”.

The UUP chairman said the Northern Ireland hospitality sector had “a vitally important role to play” along with East Londonderry’s consumers in helping the constituency’s agricultural sector “get back on its feet both in terms of employment and financially”.

He added: “We need a stable legislative Assembly to remain in operation, as the tourism economy is starting to boom once again, but it is abundantly clear we need local establishments to help rebuild the farming sector by supporting local producers.

“In the past, the Foot and Mouth crisis hit mainland Britain and that put a dampener on mainland produce reaching Northern Ireland hospitality establishments.

“But these establishments can ‘buy local’, thereby keeping the tourists happy, boosting their own trade, and above all, pumping much needed finance back into the East Londonderry agricultural sector.

“For example, in my own constituency, we in the UUP are urging an ‘Eat In The East’ in which all the produce is guaranteed to be locally produced in East Londonderry. Such events could be run in conjunction with any local council initiative to particularly promote local produce.

“In this respect, we in the UUP urge all the local community organisations and groups in East Londonderry to join forces with the constituency’s hospitality sector and the farming trade to promote ‘buy local’ and ‘Eat In The East’ campaigns.

“Indeed, if this East Londonderry model was to happen right across Northern Ireland, it could put millions of pounds into the farming sector, thereby securing existing jobs, keeping many farmers financially stable, and at the same time greatly developing the local tourist trade,” said Mr Carmichael.