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Home > Farming Today > 28/02/23 - Northern Ireland Protocol and farming, pig prices, Dutch farms facing closure


	Podcast:		Farming Today
	Episode:		28/02/23 - Northern Ireland Protocol and farming, pig prices, Dutch farms facing closure
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:13:30
	Publish Date:		2023-02-28 06:00:00
	Description:		The prime minister has announced plans for a new deal for trade between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the EU. The government says 'The Windsor Framework' agreement will ensure 'a smooth flow of trade within the UK'. Goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland only will have free passage, and goods then travelling on to The Republic of Ireland will be under separate scrutiny. We speak to the NFU's director of Trade and Business Strategy, Nick von Westenholz, about what this could mean for farming businesses. The past 18 months have seen massive disruption for pig farmers. A huge rise in the cost of production has meant producers have been making constant losses and although they might be keeping their heads just above water, it's the inability to re-invest in things like animal housing which makes their business unsustainable. We speak to a Suffolk farmer whose family produced pigs for more than a century, but now he's sold them all. The farm still produces arable crops and rents out its buildings for business training. Many UK farmers are watching what's happening in the Netherlands, where farmers are protesting over plans to cut ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 per cent by 2030. The Dutch government wants to reduce livestock numbers near protected countryside to reduce emissions and has said there will be forced buyouts of the 3000 worst polluting farms if voluntary measures fail. Farmers fear they will be driven out of business, but some of their tactics have been condemned after they staged a protest against the Dutch finance minister holding flaming torches. Presenter: Anna Hill Producer: Rebecca Rooney
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