Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any steps his Department is taking to reduce livestock crime.
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs: Rural crime, particularly the theft of farmed animals, is a direct threat to the livelihood of our farmers and to the integrity of the traceability system which is vital in providing assurance on the safety, integrity and quality of our food.
My Department take this threat very seriously. Anyone with information relating to rural crime should report this to the PSNI, and can do so anonymously via the Crimestoppers Rural Crime online reporting form or on 0800 555 111.
Officials from my Department are members of the Rural Crime Partnership (RCP) forum. The Rural Crime Partnership is a valuable networking, information sharing and problem-solving forum established to help address rural agri-crime. Along with DAERA, the other organisations represented in the RCP are the Department of Justice, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Policing and Community Safety Partnerships, Ulster Farmers’ Union, National Farmers’ Union Mutual, Federation of Small Businesses, and the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster.
ENDS
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