Gildernew 'Got It Wrong' Say Farmers

The Agriculture Minister is being urged to urgently rethink her decision to axe her Department's Supply Chain Development Branch along with the rural development advisors.

National Beef Association NI Chairman Oisin Murnion (pictured) has asked the Minister to reconsider cutting what he said is an "excellent front line" service.

"Axing the supply chain management and rural development advisors strikes a fatal blow at our system of small family farms as it will ensure even more rural development millions are returned to the EU unused," Oisin insisted.

"Without the expertise of these advisors small farm businesses will not even attempt to access money on offer under Axis2 and 3.

"Funds that should have been pump priming rural businesses a year ago and helping alleviate the impact of the recession have been held back by Dundonald House asking applicants and unpaid rural partnership committees to jump through ever more complicated rings of red tape," he fumed.

"The NBA urges Minister Gildernew to remove this bureaucracy strangling rural development and instead keep front line staff in place to help rural dwellers draw down funding."

The Co Down beef producer said the vast majority of rural development projects funded to date had been achieved thanks to expert guidance from these rural development advisors.

"Without their help many projects would not have seen the light of day because most micro businesses would never have become involved in a mind numbing, time consuming struggle to draw down this valuable EU rural development funding.

"The NBA urges that she reconsider her decision, urgently, or at least to have a proper consultation on the impact of losing these supply chain management and rural enterprise advisors," he concluded.

(BMcC/Gk)