Future of NI farming: Young farmers call for reform at Balmoral Show

Representatives from the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster with Members of the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and Members of the Committee for the Economy.

The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs took its weekly meeting to the Balmoral Show today, Thursday, 15th May, where it held an in-depth engagement session with the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU).

The session focused on the unique challenges young farmers face across the region.

Committee Chairperson Robbie Butler MLA hailed the visit as a vital step in better understanding the complex pressures facing the next generation of farmers in an increasingly demanding agricultural environment.

“We were delighted to take our meeting to the Balmoral Show this week and to hear directly from young farmers on the very particular issues they face in the midst of an increasingly changing and challenging agricultural landscape,” said Mr Butler.

Representatives from the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster give evidence to the Assembly’s Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

The discussion at the show, which is Northern Ireland’s largest agri-food event, covered critical topics such as access to land, financial support, policy complexity, and sustainable development.

Young farmers stressed that while many challenges affect the wider sector, they are often felt more acutely by those at the beginning of their careers.

“While issues such as dealing with the complexity of new policy schemes, access to land and disease management are not unique to young farmers; there is a sense that they feel disproportionately affected by the lack of financial support and accessible training and development opportunities available to them,” Mr Butler added.

A key issue raised was the traditional conacre land system, under which land is typically rented on a short-term basis. This, the Committee heard, significantly hinders long-term planning and deters investment, particularly in environmental improvements such as soil quality enhancement and biodiversity initiatives.

“The young farmers underlined to us today that they also face specific challenges around the availability of land with the traditional conacre system, characterised by short-term leases, providing little or no security for long-term investment and planning.

“This also has a significant knock-on effect with regards environmental considerations, as young farmers attempting to develop their farms and agricultural output are often financially discouraged from investing in environmental and sustainability initiatives, such as improving soil quality,” Mr Butler explained.

The Chairperson stressed the importance of supporting young farmers through targeted financial and developmental schemes to ensure the long-term sustainability of Northern Ireland’s agricultural sector.

“Our farms are at the very heart of local rural communities and it’s crucial that we do all that we can to help young farmers to navigate towards creating viable and sustainable farms and agricultural industries.

“It is particularly important that young farmers who are trying to balance both agricultural and environmental challenges through diversification are financially incentivised and supported through relevant developmental initiatives,” he said.

The Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs takes evidence from the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster.    

The Committee also received updates from the Ulster Farmers’ Union, which briefed members on key issues including proposed inheritance tax reforms, the Nutrients Action Programme Consultation, and the ongoing Bovine Tuberculosis eradication strategy.

The day concluded with a panel Q&A event involving members of the Economy Committee, who joined the Agriculture Committee in a collaborative session with YFCU representatives.

“Collaboration with our stakeholders is at the very centre of our role and we look forward to working with the Minister and his Department to find viable and sustainable pathways towards securing continued innovation and growth for young farmers and all those in our rural communities,” Mr Butler concluded.

As Northern Ireland continues to adapt to both environmental imperatives and economic pressures, today’s engagement at the Balmoral Show underscores the critical need to listen to and empower the voices of young farmers shaping the future of rural life.