A draft budget for NI agreed by the Stormont Executive, includes an “earmarked allocation” of £332.5m to DAERA for agricultural support funding.

The documents released by the Department of Finance show that Stormont ministers have recognised farm funding is important and, as a result, it will be provided in 2025-2026 “and future years”.

The £332.5m figure is the same as that received by DAERA from the UK Treasury in the current financial year.

However, in the UK budget at the end of October 2024, it was confirmed that future funding for agriculture to the devolved administrations would be “baselined” into each region’s block grant.

In other words, NI would no longer receive a ring-fenced allocation from Treasury for farmers, so it would be up to local politicians to decide how the money is allocated – it had created fears among local farming leaders that they could end up battling with the likes of health and education for a share of the Stormont pot.

Alieved

Those fears have been alieved by the confirmation by Finance Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald last Thursday, that farm funding is to be protected.

While that is a positive outcome, it still falls short of the original request made by farm organisations and Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir, who had both argued ahead of the autumn budget for the funding to be index linked.

Just Transition

As well as money for agricultural support, the draft Stormont budget for the next financial year includes £12m of capital funding to support farmers through a “Just Transition” towards lower greenhouse gas emissions.

While all the main government departments have received increased funding allocations, the uplifts fall well short of the bids made.

“The financial outlook for public services remains incredibly difficult,” confirmed Minister Archibald.

Comment

Reacting to the confirmation that agriculture funding is to be protected, Ulster Farmers’ Union President William Irvine described it as a “major win” for the farming community.

He said it highlights what can be achieved when farmers deliver a clear and consistent message to government and pointed out that NI is the only devolved region where such a commitment has been made, to date.