Country matters were on the agenda this week when a delegation from the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) met with the Stormont Agriculture Minister.

Led by the UFU's recently appointed President, Graham Furey, included Deputy Presidents John Thompson and Harry Sinclair and Policy Director Wesley Aston, the top team discussed a range of issues with Minister Michelle Gildernew.

This was her first official meeting with the new presidential team.

Following the meeting the Minister said: "This was a good opportunity to meet with the union's new team and outline progress on a number of current issues.

"This further engagement with key stakeholders helps all of us build a partnership approach to enable DARD and the industry to meet the significant challenges facing us all.

"We discussed animal disease controls in relation to Bovine TB and the importance of electronic identification together with issues arising from the Red Meat Taskforce Report and progress with the Rural Development Programme and public procurement.

"I also updated the delegation on the latest position on Bluetongue and on the issue of the export of TB infected calves from England to the Netherlands," she said.

The Minister also raised current issues affecting the local poultry industry, adding: "The poultry sector faces challenges on several fronts in the near future particularly the Nitrates Directive and the ban on the use of battery cages which comes into force in 2012.

"I also took the opportunity to discuss current difficulties and the animal welfare challenges facing the poultry industry in the context of economic and other pressures," the Stormont Minister concluded.

(BMcC)