Speaking from Westminster where an annual reception is held in the House of Commons to mark the day, Mrs Lockhart said,
“Whilst agriculture is important across the United Kingdom, it is absolutely vital to the Northern Ireland economy. It isn’t just our largest industry, but agriculture in Northern Ireland helps feed millions of people in the rest of the UK and beyond.
It is important at both a local and national level that government supports and protects the agricultural sector. Events over recent years have highlighted just how important food security is and how vulnerable food supply can be to global events.
Local food is produced to world-class quality and welfare standards and we need to reinforce the environmental benefits of locally produced food. There are some who seem to see agriculture and farmers as a problem to be managed rather than the vital part of our economy and environment which they are.
The DUP will continue to back our agricultural industry and stand alongside primary producers.”