Farmers call for policy changes

Rural life is under the spotlight

Northern Ireland farmers are hoping to press the European Commission for more business and job opportunities in the countryside.

Ulster Farmers' Union leaders will join more than 1,000 delegates from across Europe at a conference in Strasbourg on Wednesday, which will help re-shape EU rural development programmes.

These schemes have been criticised for failing to deliver widespread benefits to farming families.

Speaking ahead of the conference, UFU president John Gilliland called on Commissioner Franz Fischler to simplify programmes intended to boost rural business and jobs.

He said: "We've had the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy - which is the policy that governs agricultural works in the European Union - and some of what they're saying is that the money is going to through a different pillar, a second pillar.

"That's to look at doing things wider than just food production into this rural development pillar.

"Seven years ago, Commissioner Fischler had a conference in Cork to set up how rural development should go forward.

"What's going to happen in Salzburg is a review of that and how to reshape it in view of 10 new countries coming into the European Union."