Ritchie questions DEFRA on food, farming and Brexit | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Ritchie questions DEFRA on food, farming and Brexit

Margaret RitchieSDLP MP South Down Margaret Ritchie has questioned DEFRA Ministers in the House of Commons on how the Government’s 25-year plan for food and farming will accommodate the challenges of Brexit.

She also questioned how Northern Ireland’s export of agri-food exports will be protected and maintained.

Speaking to Newry Times, Ritchie said, “Any potential Brexit would fundamentally alter the landscape for our farming industry over the next 25 years, particularly in Northern Ireland.

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nov-22-2016“DEFRA’s long-awaited food and farming plan must recognise this challenge and outline specific policies that will protect our export of agri-foods.

“A food and farming plan that underestimates risks and over estimates opportunities may be politically convenient for Eurosceptic DEFRA Ministers, but it will not deliver the support our farming industry needs.

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nov-22-2016-big-boxShe added, “With the export of agri-foods so important to our farming sector the Northern Ireland Executive must recognise the new terrain we are in and do more to make the needs of Northern Irish agriculture heard in Whitehall.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=58504

Posted by on Nov 29 2016. Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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