Strangford MP Jim Shannon with UFU and SOS representatives meet with DEFRA to address pressing farming issues
Strangford MP Jim Shannon MP has thanked Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed MP for the meeting with Alex Kinnear UFU Parliamentary Officer and William Irvine, President of the Ulster Farmer’s Union with himself in Westminster to discuss the impact of the chancellor’s Budget on sustainability of family farms.
Mr Shannon said: “We had a very frank discussion during which the UFU members raised essential elements of the rating value of farms which massively impacts thresholds and this is something that the chancellor does not appear to be aware of and this must receive full consideration.
“Alex Kinnear of SOS and William Irvone of teh UFU were completely prepared with facts and figures that were difficult for the Secretary of State to argue against and he has promised to come back on some of the issues raised.
It was imperative that the UFU were able to put the case for Northern Ireland family farms and I was happy to host the meeting and speak out for our farmers in Strangford.
“I will continue to work with and support the Ulster Farmer’s Union and secure the future of farming which is under attack from these ill-advised changes to inheritance tax and for the refusal to ring-fence farming grants which was also been left out within the budget.
