DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has outlined a partnership vision for Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector, praising farmers as “the bedrock of our countryside” while pressing the UK Government for urgent action on fuel taxes and a new trade agreement with the European Union. Speaking at the Farmers’ Club annual dinner at Queen’s University Belfast on the eve of the Balmoral Show 2026, Muir highlighted both the sector’s world-class competitiveness and the mounting pressures of international instability, supply chain disruption, and disease threats.
World-Class Performance Under Global Pressure
Minister Muir used the address to celebrate the sector’s achievements while acknowledging severe headwinds. “Farming is a vein that runs through our culture and society. It’s a core part of the rural way of life,” he said. “Whether it is beef and dairy, poultry, pigs, crop, horticulture, potatoes or arable, Northern Ireland farmers consistently deliver produce that competes with the best, anywhere in the world. This is a testament to the calibre of the people working in this industry.”
However, he warned that “ongoing international instability continues to create uncertainty, particularly in relation to fuel and fertiliser costs, with impacts felt most acutely in rural areas.” This prompted a direct call to the UK Government: “That is why I am calling on the UK Government to review the rate of excise duty and VAT on fuel, and consider support for those most in need, particularly farmers, hauliers and the rural community.”
£330 Million Sustainable Agriculture Programme
Central to Muir’s vision is the £330 million Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP), which he noted makes Northern Ireland “the only region of the UK where funding for agriculture, agri-environment, fisheries and rural development is ring-fenced.” The programme represents a shift away from “short-term, stop-start support” toward a “stable, funded footing.”
Key facts about the support package include:
- Seven new schemes rolled out in 2025 alone under SAP
- The first stand of the Farming with Nature Package launched, replacing the previous Environmental Farming Scheme
- Funding available through a Just Transition Fund for Agriculture, supporting the Bovine Genetics and Sustainable Utilisation of Livestock Slurries projects
- Payments under the Farm Sustainability Transition Payment, Young Farmer Payment and Protein Crop Scheme commenced in 2025, with £242.4 million paid to 98% of eligible businesses on the first day
Trade Priorities: Dual Access and the SPS Agreement
Muir emphasised that “our unique dual market access to both the European Union and rest of the UK continues to provide a real competitive opportunity.” He confirmed ongoing engagement with the UK Government regarding a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, which aims to ease trade flows from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
“My aim is for an UK/EU SPS agri-food agreement that delivers for Northern Ireland by easing trade flows from Great Britain to Northern Ireland,” Muir stated. “My engagement with the UK Government in respect of the agreement has been positive with an agreement hopefully due to be reached later this year and tangible benefits delivered from mid-2027 onwards.”
The Minister also welcomed recent changes to Inheritance Tax but confirmed he is “continuing to push UK Government for a full re-think” of the policy affecting family farms.
Outstanding Challenges and Unanswered Questions
While the speech set out a long-term vision, several immediate concerns remain unaddressed or lack specific detail. The Minister referenced challenges including bovine TB, the arrival of the Bluetongue virus, and improving air and water quality, but offered no specific new measures beyond general commitments to “working with the industry.”
Notable gaps in the announcement include:
- No concrete commitments from the UK Government regarding the fuel duty and VAT review requested
- Unclear what specific reforms the Minister seeks in his call for a “full re-think” on inheritance tax beyond the 2025 Budget changes allowing transferable allowances between spouses
- No detail on immediate biosecurity protocols for Bluetongue (BTV-3), despite five confirmed cases in Northern Ireland since December 2025
- The SPS agreement benefits remain 18 months away (mid-2027), leaving businesses to manage current trade friction in the interim
Context from industry bodies suggests the Farming with Nature Package, while welcome, follows years of under-investment in Northern Ireland agri-environment schemes. Data indicates only 4.8% of agricultural land in Northern Ireland was in such schemes recently, compared to over 20% in England, Scotland and Wales, raising questions about whether the new funding will sufficiently close this gap.
Critical Questions for Stakeholders
The Minister’s address raises several questions for the sector and policymakers:
- Given the 18-month wait for SPS agreement benefits, what immediate practical support will DAERA provide to businesses struggling with current GB-NI trade costs and paperwork?
- How will DAERA ensure the Farming with Nature Package achieves better uptake than previous schemes, given historical under-resourcing and the fact that the 2025 Transition Scheme closed in August 2025 with limited uptake data available?
- With Bluetongue virus now established in Northern Ireland, what specific vaccination and surveillance programmes will be implemented before the high-risk summer season?
- What specific inheritance tax reforms is the Minister proposing to the Treasury, and what timeline does he expect for a response?
- How will the Department measure the environmental outcomes of the £330 million SAP against its stated aims of biodiversity recovery and climate resilience?
What to Watch For Next
The coming months will prove critical for the sector. The Balmoral Show runs from 13 to 16 May 2026 at the Eikon Centre, where further policy details may emerge. Negotiations on the UK-EU SPS agreement are expected to conclude later this year, with businesses watching for whether the mid-2027 implementation timeline can be accelerated. Meanwhile, the UK Treasury’s response to calls for fuel duty relief remains pending, with the next Budget likely to prove decisive for farm finances.
Minister Muir concluded his address with a call for collaboration: “Northern Ireland’s farmers have built a sector that is second to none and I am immensely proud of it as Minister. I really value a respectful relationship with all stakeholders. Working together, we can achieve a thriving, resilient and environmentally sustainable future for farming.”