Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer has said that small farmers must have their voices heard as Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots brings forward plans for the replacement of EU funding.

The West Tyrone MLA said:

“Farmers have been waiting anxiously for years to find out what payments they will be entitled to in the wake of Brexit and the loss of EU funding.

“Minister Poots’  proposals to increase the minimum claim size from the current 3 hectares (7.4 acres) to 10 hectares (24.7 acres)  fall far short and would exclude thousands of small farmers, putting many of them out of business.

“The minister’s proposals are bad news for small family farms and they are damaging for rural communities.

‘’Sinn Féin want to ensure that the voices of farmers are not only heard but that they are listened to and reflected in any new proposals coming from the Department of Agriculture.

“I would encourage all those farmers and rural communities that are likely to be impacted to make a submission to the Departments consultation and challenge these unfair and shortsighted proposals before the 15th of February deadline.”