Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer has responded to threats by British Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to impose new charges for farmers for Bovine TB testing and future cuts to compensation payments for TB.
The West Tyrone MLA said:
“These are measures that are punitive and it’s clear the Tories are pursuing an ideological agenda that is punishing farmers and the wider public.
“The DUP’s blockade of the Executive has left us at the mercy of savage Tory cuts.
“Farmers already face a range of challenges, and these proposed additional charges would place an extra burden and stress on farmers who are already struggling.”