Six farm fatalities in NI during 2023

Six people lost their lives as a result of workplace accidents on NI farms during 2023, according to statistics released by the Health and Safety Executive for NI (HSENI).

The figure is up from three farm fatalities in 2022, although it is lower than the seven farm deaths that occurred in NI during 2021. The lowest number recorded in recent years was in 2019, when one fatal accident occurred. Analysis of HSENI data shows that over the past 10 years, 57 people have died on NI farms due to workplace accidents.

Farms to miss out on flooding compensation

Growers, mainly in Co Down, impacted by flooding last November won’t receive any compensation from the £15m fund allocated by NI Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to support all businesses, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has confirmed.

Addressing journalists on Monday, UFU president David Brown said he has been informed by DAERA that a business case has not made it past economists in the Department. Those economists had been tasked with assessing whether compensation would represent “value-for-money” for the public purse. DAERA was approached for comment, but had not responded by the time of going to print.

Galgorm tops Irish grass variety list

The NI-bred grass variety Galgorm has come out top among perennial ryegrasses in the grass and white clover recommended list varieties for Ireland in 2024.

The research found Galgorm generates a net profit of €266/ha/year, equivalent to an annual improvement of at least €26/ha compared with all other varieties on the list.

It was bred by the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Loughgall, Co Armagh. The programme is supported by funding from DAERA, and grass varieties are marketed by AFBI’s commercial partner Barenbrug UK Ltd.