Launching the petition at Stormont, Michelle McIlveen MLA said:
“Today I am launching a petition calling for the withdrawal of the current DAERA consultation on the Nutrients Action Programme.
There is deep and growing concern across the farming and agri-food sector about the direction of this consultation. The proposals on the table would do real damage to local agriculture, risking jobs, cutting livestock numbers, and threatening Northern Ireland’s ability to produce food. They spell disaster not just for our family farms, but for our wider economy.
Farmers and producers are already under huge pressure. They want to be part of the solution when it comes to protecting our environment, but they need a fair and workable plan, not one that feels more like punishment than partnership.
That is why we believe this consultation should be withdrawn. The DUP is standing with our rural and farming communities. Indeed today, our Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA, is writing to the DAERA Minister urging him to take this consultation off the table and start again. We want to see a new approach, one that is developed alongside those who understand the industry best – our farmers.”
DUP MLA for Newry and Armagh, William Irwin, added:
“Next Tuesday, 10th June, the DUP will bring a motion to the Assembly on this issue. We plan to present the petition as part of that debate, and we are asking the public to get behind it. Every signature will help send a strong message that farmers deserve to be listened to and respected.
This is not about ignoring environmental responsibilities. It’s about finding a sensible way forward, one that protects our countryside and supports the people who work hard every day to feed us.
We encourage everyone who cares about the future of farming and food production in Northern Ireland to sign the petition and make their voice heard.”
Notes to editors:
The petition reads as follows:
We urge the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to immediately withdraw the current public consultation on the Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029.
The measures currently proposed could devastate agriculture, reduce livestock numbers and undermine food security.
We call on him to bring forward a policy based on genuine partnership rather than punitive policies which risk the viability of our agricultural industry.
LINK TO PETITION: https://chng.it/G5LJ68NSNc
