NEWS

Northern Ireland farmers are being urged to engage with a major new consultation on future nutrient regulations, as political pressure grows on DAERA Minister Andrew Muir to prove the revised plans can actually be delivered on the ground. The revised Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) for 2027-2030 has entered a 10-week public consultation period following nine months of negotiations involving farming organisations, environmental groups, the agri-food industry and government re

Ballymena Magistrates’ Court A farmer has been banned from owning or keeping animals after a court heard serious animal welfare failings led to 19 calves being euthanised because they were suffering unnecessarily. Ian Wilson, 55, of Ballydermot Lane, Bellaghy, appeared before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court today where he was sentenced for ten offences under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and one offence under the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) Regulations

Land-based Engineering students from CAFRE visited McCauley Trailers to expand their learnings in machinery manufacturing. Students studying land-based engineering at CAFRE were given a firsthand look at modern manufacturing during an educational visit to McCauley Trailers in Toomebridge, offering valuable insight into the technology, skills and career opportunities that drive one of Northern Ireland’s leading engineering businesses. The visit allowed Level 3 Land-based Engin

Past CAFRE student William Burnett, alongside Nicola, Abigail, Matthew and Callum Turner viewed the dairy calves at Greenmount Campus. Thousands of people stepped behind the gates of CAFRE campuses at Enniskillen and Greenmount over the weekend as this year’s Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend combined hands-on learning, family fun and a closer look at Northern Ireland’s farming and food industries. From primary school pupils meeting farm animals for the first time to families

The UFU is encouraging consumers to question the origin of the beef they purchase this World Cup. Local beef farmers are being urged to put the spotlight on the origin of the meat on consumers’ plates this summer, as the Ulster Farmers’ Union launches a new campaign amid mounting concerns over imports, falling farmgate prices and growing pressure on the beef sector. The UFU’s ‘Where Is Your Beef From?’ campaign is running throughout the FIFA World Cup and aims to encourage sh

CAFRE’s online and short courses offers the best of both worlds to develop your knowledge and skills For people working in the equine industry, balancing education with employment, family commitments and the demands of horse care can be a significant challenge. CAFRE is aiming to bridge that gap with a range of flexible online and blended-learning equine courses designed to fit around busy lives. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is encouraging pro

Northern Ireland’s main agri-food science organisation is facing growing pressure to redefine its future after an independent review concluded the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) is being “pulled in three directions”, lacks a clear strategic identity and may ultimately require significant structural reform. The wide-ranging review, commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), examined AFBI’s effectiveness, governance, accoun

Vintage tractors, roaring motorcycles and classic engines will roll back into Craigywarren this weekend as one of Mid Antrim’s best-known rural rally events prepares for two packed days of family entertainment, road runs and community celebration in memory of Jackie McLaughlin. The Craigywarren Vintage Rally returns on Friday 12 June and Saturday 13 June, bringing together vintage vehicle enthusiasts, bikers, traders and families from across Northern Ireland for a busy progra

Farmers allowing calving seasons to drift over long periods are quietly losing efficiency, calf weight and profitability, according to a new warning from CAFRE beef and sheep adviser Jack Friar. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise says maintaining a compact calving pattern remains one of the clearest indicators of reproductive performance in suckler herds — with late-calving cows creating a knock-on effect that can become increasingly difficult to reverse. M

CAFRE staff, Lori Hartman and James Crawford, welcome visitors to Greenmount Campus, Antrim, for Open Farm Weekend. Enjoy exploring the campus and browse a wide selection of plants available to purchase throughout the event. Families, food lovers, aspiring students and farming enthusiasts are set to get rare behind-the-scenes access to one of Northern Ireland’s leading agricultural campuses later this month as CAFRE Greenmount opens its gates for Bank of Ireland Open Farm Wee

Ailbhe McCusker, Community Champion at Share Energy, and participants at the Ballymoney Show launch. Agricultural shows across Northern Ireland are facing growing financial pressure, but organisers behind this week’s Ballymoney Show say the events remain vital lifelines for rural communities, small businesses and the local economy. The Ballymoney Show returns on June 5 and 6 at Ballymoney Showgrounds, bringing together farmers, traders, families and rural organisations at a t

Ulster Farmers' Union Beef and Lamb chair Brendan Kelly on his farm in Randalstown, Antrim. Beef farmers across Northern Ireland are facing mounting financial pressure, with some now losing more than £350 on finished cattle as sharp processor price cuts squeeze already fragile family farm businesses, the Ulster Farmers’ Union has warned. The UFU says the speed and scale of recent reductions in beef prices are becoming “impossible” for many farmers to absorb, particularly as c

Countryfile’s Adam Henson, Local chef, broadcaster and Head Judge Paula McIntyre and Sheila Dillon from BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme launch nominations for the awards at The Balmoral Show Northern Ireland’s food and farming industry is set for a major national spotlight after it was confirmed the BBC Food and Farming Awards will be hosted here for the first time ever later this year. The prestigious UK-wide awards ceremony will take place at Titanic Belfast in October 202

Farmers across Northern Ireland are facing a growing rural crime crisis after new figures revealed losses surged to £2.2 million last year — despite rural crime falling across the rest of the UK. The sharp rise has prompted the Ulster Farmers’ Union to demand stronger intervention from Stormont and tougher support for frontline policing, warning that theft, vandalism and organised rural criminality are placing already struggling farm businesses under even greater pressure. Ac

Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long The Department of Justice has pulled its controversial consultation on firearms licensing fees following mounting opposition from rural and sporting communities across Northern Ireland, in a move being welcomed as a significant climbdown by critics of the proposals. The consultation had proposed changes aimed at achieving full cost recovery for firearms licensing, potentially increasing the financial burden on certificate holders a

A major new cross-border attempt to tackle bovine tuberculosis across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has secured £4 million in public funding — but questions are already being raised over whether it will deliver real change for farming families living through repeated herd breakdowns. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir confirmed the funding allocation on Tuesday as part of a wider research programme focused on reducing bovine TB in cattle across the Derry and Strabane a

The Garron Plateau, part of the Antrim Hills. (Image: GOA Insta) North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has warned that more must be done to protect the North Antrim Hills from the threat of wildfires this summer, arguing current measures are not enough as dry conditions increase concern across Northern Ireland. The DUP representative raised the issue directly with Andrew Muir, questioning what action the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is taking to reduc

UFU Beef and Lamb and Hill Farming chairs on their visit to the British Wool depot in Bradford last week. Sheep farmers across Northern Ireland are being urged to take advantage of the strongest wool market seen in more than a decade after prices for the 2025 wool clip jumped by around 70%. The Ulster Farmers’ Union says wool — once widely regarded as a low-value by-product barely worth collecting — is now covering most shearing costs for many farmers and, in some cases, deli

Students Niamh Reid (Glenarm), Jessica Cuthbertson (Sixmilecross), Caleb Orr (Ballymena), TJ Hamilton (Armagh), Jane May (Portadown) and Grace Hunter (Dungannon) represented CAFRE at the Great Agri-Food Debate. Students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) have reached the semi-finals of a major all-island agri-food debating competition after impressing judges with arguments on some of the biggest challenges facing farming and food production. Th

Farmers’ Choir NI performing at The Braid, Ballymena A packed audience filled The Braid Arts Centre as Farmers’ Choir NI delivered a sell-out Spring Concert celebrating the humour, hardships and strong sense of community at the heart of rural life across Northern Ireland. Drawing concertgoers from farming families and countryside communities, the evening blended music, storytelling and laughter in a performance that reflected the real-life experiences of those who live and wo