Allister welcomes extension to Farm Nutrient Management Scheme
01 January 2007
Jim Allister MEP has welcomed the approval from Brussels to extend the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme until the end of 2008. Jim Allister believes that an extension to the scheme is vital if farmers are to implement more stringent environmental legislation. Over the last number of months, Jim Allister has lobbied in Brussels for an extension to the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme. Jim Allister has called on DARD to ensure that additional funds are allocated to the scheme and changes are made to ensure that current administration difficulties with the scheme are removed.
Jim Allister commented, “Over the last number of months I have lobbied various Commissioners in Brussels to ensure that there was an extension to the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme. I am glad that the European Commission has finally approved to extend the FNMS deadline for the completion of works to 31 December 2008. It is vital that farmers within Northern Ireland are given sufficient time to construct additional slurry storage prior to the enforcement of more stringent environmental legislation.
“It is important that DARD make changes to the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme to ensure that there are no further delays to farmers being able to commence work under the scheme. There have been commitments already given that additional funding will be allocated to the scheme once an extension has been approved. It is time that DARD allocates additional finance to the scheme and ensures that all farmers who applied to the scheme up to the end of March 2006 can get approval to commence work.
“If DARD does not resolve the current funding and administration difficulties associated with the scheme I fear that 2 years will not be long enough to carry out necessary work on farms.”
