Farmers in Northern Ireland are expressing deep anger at increases in the cost of Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) entitlements in recent months.
They credit steps taken directly by the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, with being at the heart of these increases.
These steps include the reclassification of all land areas, with the exception of lanes and farmyards, to be eligible for financial service provider support and the Minister’s decision to close the former regional reserve for financial service providers.
Figures announced by Minister Muir confirm that revised land eligibility rules have made approximately 62,800 hectares available for… 2026 FSP chart.
This total is divided as follows: 37,000 hectares within severely deprived areas, 14,400 hectares within deprived areas, and 11,400 hectares in lowland areas.
Benefit shares
Martin Short, from Clogher in Co Tyrone, is one of many farmers who have expressed deep alarm at these developments. He runs a herd of 60 lactating cows with calves that are moved to strong stock weights.
In his case, problems with benefits management can be traced back to 2015.
He explained: “At that time, decisions made during the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform to remove land that was considered unproductive and from the total land area were eligible for the then single farm payment system.
“We were inspected at the time and were told that about 80 acres of our farm would be deemed ineligible for one payment.
“This meant we had to rent an additional 80ac just to keep our full share of entitlements active.”
Short added that he “fundamentally disagrees” with the idea that land removed from the single-payment plan was unproductive.
“The truth is that we have grazed cows on it in a very selective way with the aim of constantly improving the land,” he said.
“But with the land not being farmed proactively over the past decade, shrubs have become dominant where grass was previously available for grazing.”
However, simply transferring entitlements from leased land to land now reallocated to the FSP scheme makes no sense at all to Short.
Martin Short selectively grazes the land of his deprived area during the summer months
He commented: “The only option was to buy or lease the 80ac entitlements that had previously been withdrawn from the single payer system.
“But it is not available. This is only because the minister closed the regional reserve that had been accumulating for years against the backdrop of farmers retiring or simply deciding to exit agriculture.”
According to the Co Tyrone farmer, he is now experiencing a shortage in the number of financial service provider entitlements available.
“This shortage is what led to such a sharp increase in the prices of the few receivables that were put on the market over the past few weeks,” he said.
“There is only one way to rectify this situation: the Minister must restore the provincial entitlements reserve.”
Declan McAleer is Deputy Chair of the Northern Ireland Agricultural Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee.
He recently visited Shortt Farm with Cllr Eugene McConnell of Mid-Ulster County Council.
McAleer agrees that Minister Muir should reverse the decision to close the provincial entitlements reserve.
“The minister has been made clear about the impact of his actions when the decision to close the regional reserve is taken,” he said.
ANC payments
The Sinn Féin politician also claims that the current state of the financial service provider entitlements market makes the case for repayments to areas with normal restrictions in Northern Ireland stronger.
He commented: “We now know that 60% of the additional land reclassified for financial service provider purposes is in ANC areas.
“However, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has also confirmed that these figures may continue to change as amendment requests submitted by farmers are processed during the individual application period.”
Farmers in underserved and severely disadvantaged areas face significant natural and economic pressures, yet “continue to play a vital role” in food production, environmental management, and the sustainability of rural communities, McAleer noted.
“While farmers in these areas welcome the additional eligible land, most are very frustrated that there are not sufficient entitlements available for this additional land,” the AERA Committee Vice Chair said.
“This pressure has been exacerbated by the decision to close the regional reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme.”
According to McAleer, the announcement highlights the importance of developing “a dedicated ANC scheme to properly identify and support farmers working in some of the most challenging areas”.
“The revised eligibility figures demonstrate the amount of agricultural activity occurring in these areas and strengthen the case for targeted financial support to ensure these farms remain viable into the future.”
The picturesque Clogher Valley in south Co. Tyrone
Given this background, McAleer committed to pushing legislation through the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Private Members’ Bill, which would serve to restore the ANC’s payments.
significantly, Cross-party support The proposed measure at Stormont has been locked down to this point, with the bill passing the second reading stage a few weeks ago.
McAleer said: “In addition to my party representatives, MLAs from the SDLP, Ulster Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Voice as well as independent unionists, Clare Sugden and Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit, supported the second reading of the bill.
“We have now begun the committee phase.”
The proposed legislation aims to reinstate ANC payments to farmers in Northern Ireland, which were stopped in 2018.
AERA committee members will take evidence from stakeholders regarding the details of the bill over the coming months.
McAleer realizes that the issues raised during the committee stage could be translated into proposed amendments to his bill once he returns to the Assembly floor.
“This is to be expected,” he said.
“For example, the Bill currently refers to the provision of index-linked ANC payments.
“Traditionally, Stormont legislation does not take inflationary measures into account, when it comes to long-term payment plans.
“However, there remains a timeline in place that could allow the bill to pass through all of its legislative stages during the lifetime of the current Assembly and the Executive.”
Rural benefits
According to the Sinn Féin politician, the reactivation of the ANC scheme is justified to ensure the financial viability of farms in marginal areas.
It will also help protect rural economies and support ongoing management of ecologically important landscapes.
“This approach recognizes the important approach taken by ANC farmers to carbon sequestration, biodiversity and sustainable food production while addressing structural disadvantages in farming these restricted areas,” McAleer continued.
“The ANC payments will ensure funds flow to rural communities that need it most – benefiting local businesses, schools and community services.”
Once the bill is passed into law, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) will be tasked with bringing companion legislation through the Northern Ireland Assembly, which will set out the precise details of how the new ANC measures will be implemented.
“This process must be completed within 12 months of my Private Members’ Bill receiving Royal Assent,” McAleer explained.
“This will include providing the necessary funding to provide adequate payments for primary health care at farm level.
“I believe there is a broad degree of political support in Stormont for the ANC Bill. This can be built on in the future.”
