Farmers have criticised the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) after it decided to pause all consultations on agriculture planning applications with ammonia considerations.
This decision will particularly affect the egg sector and production is likely to reduce further, which the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said was concerning given the current shortages throughout Britain.
“The UFU has been made aware that NIEA has contacted planners, informing them that they have paused all consultations on agriculture planning applications with ammonia considerations,” said David Brown, president of the UFU. “Stagnating farm developments across NI impacts all sectors and farms of all sizes and will have wide reaching implications. Local food production will be hit, especially considering the efforts to tackle the shortage of eggs in Britain. The construction industry will also be affected as this pause on farm consultations has the potential to linger on for a lengthy period with no suggestion as to when things will resume again.”
He added farmers are already working to reduce ammonia and are eager to do more. But Brown said this move was counterproductive. “Instead of encouraging this ambition and supporting our farmers to upgrade buildings, improve animal and bird welfare and environmental standards, NIEA has halted positive agriculture developments. To say our farmers are frustrated is an understatement and how they are being treated by NIEA is completely unfair. It calls NIEA’s capability into question when their decision to stall on-farm planning applications is due to their failure to agree on an appropriate planning policy to support the reduction of ammonia emissions.”
“This is a pressing matter, and we will consider seeking legal advice on NIEA’s latest approach and will be contacting DAERA/NIEA on this issue.”
A spokeswoman for NIEA told Poultry Business: “NIEA is currently considering legal advice on the ongoing application of our Ammonia Planning Standing Advice and has temporarily paused the issue of associated planning advice pending the outcome of these considerations.”