The Northern Irish government has announced that it will invest £10 million into developing new beef facilities.
Agricultural institutions AFBI and CAFRE will both receive the investment, as existing facilities are 'no longer fit for purpose'.
NI farming minister Edwin Poots announced the funding to ensure the region's beef sector has a 'vibrant future'.
The project will integrate the future delivery of research, technology transfer and education at both of the institutions, he explained.
“This investment will ensure that they both have the capacity to carry out leading research and demonstrate technologies which assist the delivery of education programmes."
The minister said such technology had the potential to be adopted on beef farms across Northern Ireland 'over the next 20 to 30 years'.
“These new facilities will be critical to ensuring the positive contribution of beef production to the management of the rural environment and supporting the rural economy.
"In so doing the project will provide multiple long term benefits for the Northern Ireland beef industry, agri-food industry and wider economy,” Mr Poots said.
The £10m project comes following the recent launch of a £75 million investment for CAFRE campuses Greenmount Campus and Loughry College.
The buildings at the heart of both campuses - where agricultural students live, study and socialise - were built over 50 years ago.
As part of the investment, they will have new modern student accommodation built, along with high-tech facilities to support student learning.
