Gildernew Discusses Future Funding For Young Farmers’ Clubs


The Minister recognised the work of the YFCU on developing leadership, communication and rural skills and their contributions to voluntary work in their local community.

She said, “Young Farmer’s Clubs organise a wide range of activities, providing support and training for young people to develop transferable rural business skills. Any future programme should focus on issues that impact on people in rural areas. “I have had a very useful discussion and have indicated the areas where I believe the clubs may contribute, and the sort of measurable outputs that they would have to deliver to justify continued grant aid.” The areas of future work discussed included Rural Road Safety, Succession Planning, encouraging the uptake of on-line applications by farm businesses, schools outreach programme of a cross-community nature, and a programme of work to integrate the work of the YFCU into local rural community initiatives, including a focus on rural womens’ issues. The Minister added, “I have taken on board the very considerable response to the proposal during the consultation period which finished yesterday. This has been the single issue that has attracted most comment. I recognise how much the YFCU is valued in our rural community, therefore I made it a priority to meet with the YFCU today.”]]>