Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any steps being taken to ensure farmers are prepared for more frequent periods of extreme heat.
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs: I am committed to supporting Northern Ireland’s agriculture sector to adapt to a changing climate and I recognise the additional challenges that more frequent periods of extreme heat can present for our farmers, livestock and wider agri-food industry.
My Department’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP) is a key element of our response, supporting farmers to build resilience to the increasing impacts of climate change while maintaining productive and sustainable farm businesses.
Through SAP, we are working with the sector to improve efficiency, strengthen environmental performance and support a fair and genuinely just transition to a more sustainable future. The programme provides over £330 million of support to the farming sector annually, helping farm businesses manage external shocks and improve long-term resilience. The Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme provides a baseline level of support, while a new Crisis Framework is being finalised to enable a structured government response to significant challenges affecting the sector.
Alongside this, and as required under the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, my Department is establishing a scheme for the administration of a fund to be known as the “Just Transition Fund for Agriculture” and have been engaging with the Agriculture Policy Stakeholder Group for their views. Its purpose is to provide information, knowledge and financial assistance to the agriculture sector to help deliver its contribution to meeting carbon budgets and emissions reduction targets by developing and implementing proposals and policies to be included in Climate Action Plans. Funding in 2025/26 and 2026/27 is supporting the Bovine Genetics Project and the Sustainable Use of Livestock Slurry project (SULS).
Additional Just Transition for Agriculture funding is required for future years to help ensure a just and fair transition for the sector as we progress towards net zero.
We are also supporting the adoption of climate-smart farming practices, improved grassland and forage management, better water management and enhanced animal health and welfare measures, all of which can help farm businesses adapt to periods of extreme heat and other climate-related pressures.
Technical advice and support are available through the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), and any farmer seeking guidance on managing the impacts of extreme heat should contact their local CAFRE Adviser.
Through these combined measures, we are helping ensure that Northern Ireland’s farming sector remains resilient, productive and competitive in the face of a changing climate.
ENDS
