Like every other aspect of life, farming and the agricultural sector has significantly changed over the past decades.

Many decades ago, most farms were mixed agricultural enterprises, which developed over the years to more specialist operations, an increase in production in most sectors to help meet growing world demands for food.

In 2022, the total gross output for agriculture in Northern Ireland was £3.07billion, which was a 23 per cent increase from the previous year.

This is not only a major input to the Northern Ireland economy, it also provides significant local employment and provides excellent quality food products that are distributed and used throughout the world.

Although the farming community provide so much to society, there is a constant pressure from various sources, whereby many within the industry feel the world is against them.

Farming is one of the only businesses within our economy that cannot set their own price for products – they have to take what is left at the end of the financial chain.

Retailers set their own product price with a built-in profit, processors set their own price with a built-in profit, as do all the suppliers to farmers.

They also have to contend with the issues in which they have no control over – farming is very much weather-dependant, affecting levels of growth for crops, including grass, and some animal and crop diseases that the farmers have little or no means of controlling.

It is, of course, important that those involved in the industry keep ahead of aspects such as producing quality products, disease control and environmental issues.

In order to help with this, they need the Government and the authorities providing support, co-operation and a partnership approach to help advance the industry.

A good example of where this is not happening is the building of new or replacement livestock accommodation, if the proposal is within 7.5km of a ‘designated site’, such as an Area of Special Scientific Interest, or a Special Area of Conservation.

Then, a planning application must be submitted along with various expensive assessments to be carried out. Very few of these applications are or will be successful.

What is even more frustrating is that where the farmer has plans for a replacement livestock building, which would be much more environmentally-friendly and reduce ammonia emissions compared to the building that is in place, these will mainly not be approved either.

Such proposals provide an opportunity to help and be a betterment to the environment, but the authorities do not allow that betterment to take place, due to the strict and uncompromising position that is adopted.

The farming sector needs to develop its business to meet new standards, improve health and safety, and increase efficiencies, allowing it to compete in the marketplace.

Preventing on-farm development or the replacement of buildings is stifling these improvements, and is causing a huge amount of stress and strain for many Northern Ireland family farms and farmers who are worried about their future.

In the case of the new A5 Road upgrade, where farmyards and buildings are removed due to vesting orders, there doesn’t appear to be any option that would allow replacement buildings or farmyards to be constructed, therefore effectively terminating that farm business.

Then, of course, there is the dreaded Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) – this disease is costing the public purse tens of millions of pounds each year.

However, the cost to the farming sector is much more, both financially and mentally.

It is impossible to replace animals that have been taken off-farm due to disease, that the farmer has been breeding the genetics of as high-performance animals for decades.

Some years ago, the Department established a Northern Ireland TB Eradication Partnership (TBEP) that brought together individuals with knowledge and practical experience who have a major role in shaping the bTB programme at both a policy and ground level, and ensuring that their collective experience is utilised effectively to help address the problem.

The organisation provided a report with proposals of a way forward. Part of the recommendations were successfully challenged in court, therefore there is no positive progress to this long-term problem.

Indeed, the situation is getting worse, and without the implementation of the TBEP recommendations, there are no plans for a way forward to improve the situation.

The outcome is an increasingly frustrating and worrying time for the farming industry, and also a rising cost to the public purse.

Although I have highlighted some negative aspects of the farming sector, there is a lot to be proud of in the industry.

The Northern Ireland farming sector produces a world-renowned quality product, and provides food security.

In addition, producing our products locally reduces significant imports from countries that may produce an inferior-quality product.

The agriculture sector has made, and continues to make, significant strides to reduce carbon emissions and help meet climate change targets, and there is significant work ongoing to increase the output from on-farm renewable energy.

It is vital that agriculture does not slip down the DAERA priority list.

There are more than 24,000 farm businesses in Northern Ireland, employing more than 50,000 people.

They should at least have equal priority to other aspects of the Minister’s portfolio.

The agricultural sector has already committed to working with the Executive to help meet its climate change targets, while at the same time providing food produced to high environmental and animal health and welfare standards.

The farming community is a leading sector in Northern Ireland’s economy, and farmers are making every possible effort to stay ahead of the extreme regulatory burden imposed on them, but they must have the support and co-operation of the Government and officials. Otherwise, the industry will recede and wither.

We need to support this industry in every practical way; otherwise, the consequences are beyond comprehension, with a hugely negative impact.

The farming industry and community have so much that is positive to offer this society – so let us all embrace it, and work together.

Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard is a former Ulster Unionist MLA, MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone and leader of the party.