Muir refuses to resign and declares: ‘Days of UFU dictating government policy are over’

Pictured: DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart and Ulster Unionist agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA, and the farmers protest earlier this week outside Stormont.

Friday 14 August 2026

Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has rejected demands for his resignation and launched an extraordinary attack on the Ulster Farmers’ Union, declaring that its days of “dictating government policy are over”.

His defiant response came after the UFU passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Muir, DAERA Permanent Secretary Katrina Godfrey and Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher — and called for all three to resign.

The Minister also revealed that he had received six separate online death threats and had been assaulted, while departmental staff had also been threatened.

Mr Muir made the comments during an interview with Cool FM chief reporter James Gould today, as hundreds of farmers gathered at Stormont to protest over DAERA’s destruction of 51 cattle near Fivemiletown at the end of June.

Minister refuses to stand down

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir

Asked if he would resign following the UFU vote, Mr Muir said:

“The Ulster Farmers Union is a lobbying organisation, and I am going to continue the job of work that I’ve got to do, and I’m not going to be beholden to any single organisation or vested interest.

“I’ve been out and about this week, and I will continue to do that, engaging with farmers. The Ulster Farmers Union does not speak for everyone.”

He added:

“Some people have struggled with me being minister from the day and hour I took up office. This is a new Northern Ireland.

“We have serious challenges within agriculture and I’m the first minister in the history of this State to face up to those after decades of neglect where the Ulster Farmers Union led us to a lot of problems that I’m seeking to fix.”

Mr Muir said his door remained open and insisted he would continue governing for everyone in Northern Ireland.

“The Ulster Farmers Union doesn’t speak for everyone,” he said.

‘People need to wise up and calm down’

The Minister also disclosed the extent of the threats and abuse he said had been directed at him and DAERA employees.

“I’ve received six online separate death threats. I’ve also been assaulted, staff in the department are being threatened — this is wrong. People need to wise up and calm down,” he said.

“Let me be very clear: the days of the Ulster Farmers Union dictating government policy are over.”

Mr Muir condemned the UFU’s decision to name senior civil servants in its no-confidence motion and called on the organisation to withdraw its demands and apologise.

“To name and target officials within my department is entirely inappropriate,” he said.

“I would urge the Ulster Farmers Union to withdraw and apologise for what they’ve done.

“The situation in my department is that officials are being targeted and threatened, including myself as well. That’s just not right, and a bit of leadership from the Ulster Farmers Union is a bit amiss this week.”

Butler accuses Minister of attacking farmers’ union

Ulster Unionist Party agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA responded by accusing Mr Muir of attempting to conflate criminal threats with legitimate scrutiny of public officials.

Mr Butler condemned without reservation the abuse directed at the Minister and DAERA employees, saying any threats were criminal matters for the PSNI.

However, he said naming officials in a no-confidence motion was not the same as threatening them.

“Threatening someone is a crime. Naming them in a no confidence motion is not,” Mr Butler said.

“Using one to deflect scrutiny of the other does his own staff no favours.”

He described the Minister’s criticism of the UFU as “a disgraceful slur” against an organisation that has represented Northern Ireland’s farming industry for more than a century.

“A Minister who has lost the confidence of the sector does not win it back by blaming the farmers’ own union for the state of agriculture,” Mr Butler said.

“He should withdraw those remarks and apologise.”

UFU move described as ‘seismic’

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart also backed the UFU’s demand for the three senior DAERA figures to leave their positions.

“Calling for the resignation of three senior officials within the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs is a seismic move, but clearly demonstrates that the industry has lost all faith in DAERA’s leadership,” the DUP agriculture spokesperson said.

Ms Lockhart said a petition calling for Mr Muir’s resignation had attracted almost 5,500 signatures.

“The farming community has spoken,” she added. “The Minister needs to listen.”

Speaking alongside farmers protesting at Stormont, Ms Lockhart said the extraordinary meeting of the Assembly’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee earlier this week had failed to answer the central questions surrounding the Fivemiletown operation.

“Conflicting reports and withheld facts are leading to further confusion and anguish within the farming community,” she said.

Anger over destruction of 51 cattle

The continuing dispute centres on DAERA’s enforcement of a court deprivation order against the owner of the cattle following animal welfare convictions.

The keeper was disqualified for life from keeping animals. Of the 51 cattle remaining on the farm, 50 were euthanised on 29 June and the final animal was euthanised the following day.

DAERA has maintained that it was legally required to enforce the court order and that alternative options had been explored.

However, farmers and political representatives have continued to question how the operation was carried out, what veterinary advice was provided, whether alternative homes were genuinely considered and whether every animal was killed immediately and humanely.

Ms Lockhart told protesters that the court order did not remove the need to scrutinise the Department’s decisions.

“The presence of a court deprivation order does not excuse, or answer the questions surrounding how DAERA chose to execute it,” she said.

“Court orders must be enforced, but that does not give any Government Department a by-ball to disregard animal welfare or proportionality.

“We are told every other avenue was explored. Prove it! We are told the operation was appropriate. Prove it! We are told these animals were humanely destroyed.

“If that is the case, then Andrew Muir needs to explain to the farming community exactly what was humane about what happened in that field.”

Ms Lockhart added:

“There cannot be one rule for farmers and another for DAERA.”

Independence of review disputed

DAERA has appointed Dr Martin Blake, a former Chief Veterinary Officer for the Republic of Ireland, to review the Department’s actions before, during and after the operation.

The review is expected to examine legal compliance, departmental procedures, standards of public administration and lessons arising from the case, with a report due in early autumn.

Critics argue that the process cannot command public confidence because the Department set the terms, selected the reviewer and did not provide powers to compel evidence from witnesses or organisations outside DAERA.

Mr Butler said the Minister had ignored warnings that the appointment and terms should be agreed with an independent chair.

“He chose instead to write the terms himself, appoint one person himself, and consult nobody,” he said.

“A single reviewer, with no panel, no legal or forensic expertise alongside him, and no power to compel a single witness outside the Department.

“Farmers were told this would be independent. They have looked at it, and they do not believe it.”

Mr Butler called on the Minister to replace the review with a fully independent inquiry equipped with an expert panel, powers to compel evidence and a commitment to publish its findings in full.

Both Ms Lockhart and Mr Butler unequivocally condemned threats or personal abuse directed at the Minister and DAERA staff.

However, the Minister’s refusal to resign and his direct criticism of the UFU have pushed the dispute beyond the Fivemiletown operation itself. It is now an open battle over who speaks for Northern Ireland’s farmers — and whether the relationship between the agricultural industry and the Department responsible for supporting it can be repaired under its current leadership.