A farming charity has called on the Northern Ireland Executive to return to Stormont and deal with the "crisis" affecting rural communities.
As of January 2018, Northern Ireland is still without a government as talks to form a power-sharing government following the election in 2017 have failed.
Charity Rural Support said the farming industry in Northern Ireland needed decisions to be taken by the government.
Rural Support's chief executive Jude McCann said farmers need "a functioning executive that can make decisions and release funds that will help them get back on their feet".
The charity said many farmers have suffered "trying times" due to prolonged bad weather.
The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has told of its frustration by the "slow progress" made in getting financial aid to farmers who were severely affected by the flooding in August last year.
UFU president Barclay Bell explained: “No decision can be made in terms of a locally administered compensation scheme. Yet another thing to add to the ever growing list of reasons why we need the NI Executive up and running again.”
Issue of bovine TB
The Northern Ireland Executive collapsed after deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigned in protest over the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.
This triggered the Northern Ireland Assembly election on 2 March. However, political parties could not reach an agreement to form a coalition agreement, with talks having been going on for nearly a year.
With the Executive remaining vacant, hard-pressing issues in agriculture are starting to worry farmers. One of the greatest challenges farmers are facing in Northern Ireland is the issue of bovine TB.
The UFU says bovine TB is a major issue for farmers, and that the Department of Agriculture (DAERA) officials must make progress a priority, so that when a minister is back in place there will be a plan there for them to approve.
UFU president Barclay Bell said: “Doing nothing is not acceptable to farmers. This disease has a devastating impact on farm families and farm businesses and it has not stopped just because we don't have an Executive in place.
“While we might not all agree on the way ahead, we do all agree that something has to be done.
“Tackling TB is a long term challenge – but that cannot be an excuse for kicking the issue into touch. That is not fair to farmers, and indeed it is not fair to taxpayers, who have seen millions of pounds a year spent to achieve nothing, in terms of reducing the incidence of the disease,” said Mr Bell.
