NI's agri-food industry has issued a stark warning to government: pause the proposed Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) now or risk inflicting irreparable harm on the region’s farming future.
Leading figures from over 60 groups have urged an immediate pause to the ongoing consultation on the NAP, citing serious concerns over its potential impact on farming and food production.
The call came during an emergency meeting convened by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), where farmers, processors and other agri-food groups came together to express alarm at the proposals.
The NAP is a set of regulations and guidelines designed to reduce water pollution caused by agricultural nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus from slurry, manure, and chemical fertilisers.
Measures include closed periods when spreading slurry or fertiliser is banned and limits on how much fertiliser can be used per hectare.
Farmers and agri-food businesses often say that some proposals are too restrictive or inflexible for real-life farm conditions, as well as financially burdensome.
The meeting highlighted a shared belief that the government's ongoing consultation process for the 2026-29 period of NAP must be halted to allow for thorough scrutiny and proper engagement.
The agri-food sector is a key contributor to economic output, employment and the rural economy in Northern Ireland.
The gross output of agriculture in 2023 was £2.87 billion, while the gross output of food and drinks processing was £6.5 billion.
UFU president William Irvine, speaking from his farm in County Armagh, said the strength of feeling at the meeting was "unmistakable".
"The room was packed with representatives from every corner of our industry, and many more who couldn’t attend sent apologies and messages of concern," he said.
"There is widespread consensus that the current NAP proposals are unbalanced, disproportionate and fundamentally disconnected from the realities of Northern Ireland’s farming sector."
He warned: "If implemented as they stand, these measures could devastate our agri-food industry.”
Attendees unanimously agreed that the proposals, in their current form, risk causing severe disruption across the supply chain, from primary producers to processors and exporters.
Mr Irvine confirmed that the UFU, alongside 60 bodies, have now written formally to DAERA (Department of Agriculture) requesting an immediate suspension of the consultation to enable a full assessment of the implications.
“We are not opposed to tackling water quality issues, and on the contrary, there is strong cross-sector support for doing so," Mr Irvine added.
"But solutions must be realistic, evidence-based and developed in genuine partnership with those on the ground. This is not the case here.
“We urge DAERA to recognise the scale of concern, halt the current process and work with us on a better way forward."
DAERA's consultation for NAP 2026-29 will close for responses on 24 July.
