People key to rural economy
Ulster Farmers’ Union president John Gilliland highlighted the accelerating rural exodus in Northern Ireland, which last year saw 4% of local farming families leaving the industry.
He outlined the CARE campaign of the UFU which was engaging the general public in a positive way.
It demonstrated the many positive contributions farming families were making to society.
However, incomes had become so low that the future sustainability of family farms in Northern Ireland was under serious threat, he said.
Mr Gilliland said his objective was to sustain his own family farm and secure its future.
But the problems facing the farming sector at present made this extremely difficult.
The UFU president called on the Oxford Farming Conference to recognise the importance of people and the family farm.
He urged the British government to look again at its policies towards agriculture.
