Northern Irish farm leaders have expressed concerns over the future financial support for the region’s struggling sheep sector.

The Sheep Industry Taskforce, composed of various industry groups, recently met with the Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Committee to voice these concerns.

They emphasised that the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) forms the bulk of many sheep farms' income, with the sector already experiencing some of the lowest earnings.

Sheep farming plays a crucial role in Northern Irish agriculture, with nearly 40% of farm businesses engaged in sheep production.

In 2023, the sector contributed £109m to the Northern Irish economy.

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However, Glenn Cuddy, deputy president of the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), cautioned that the sector faces an 18% reduction in BPS, with no viable alternatives to offset this loss.

He also noted that many sheep farms are located on severely disadvantaged land, unsuitable for growing crops or raising cattle.

Cuddy stated: “Therefore, they can’t benefit from the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme or the Suckler Cow Scheme, and Areas of Natural Constraint payments ended in 2017.

“We came away from the meeting having made it very clear that sheep support needs to be added into future agriculture support."

The UFU and sheep industry representatives are scheduled to meet with NI farming minister Andrew Muir in the coming weeks to further discuss the issue.

Sean Fitzpatrick of the NI Agricultural Producers’ Association, who also attended the meeting, highlighted that sheep farmers face numerous challenges, including weather conditions, poor land quality, and an aging workforce, all while having some of the lowest incomes.

Fitzpatrick questioned: “The sheep industry contributed £109m in 2023 to the NI economy, but how can anyone expect our sheep farmers to maintain this when their income is getting significantly cut?"

"If support is not provided for sheep businesses to help them manage challenges, it has the potential to put many farm families out of business.

"The impact of which would ripple into rural communities, impact the environment and the supply chain."