Press Statement
From: Alex Easton MP for North Down
Alex Easton MP has expressed his full support for farmers in North Down and across Northern Ireland as they face the serious challenges posed by the recent bluetongue outbreak.
Mr Easton said:
“Farmers in North Down have been dealt blow after blow in recent times. The last thing they needed, after the Government’s so-called ‘death tax’ on farm families, was the added anxiety and financial pressure of a serious animal disease issue on their doorstep.
“Our farming community is the backbone of our rural economy. They produce our food, care for our countryside and sustain jobs right across the supply chain. Yet too often they feel taken for granted and used as an easy target for revenue-raising measures. That is simply not acceptable.
“In light of this bluetongue situation, I am calling for every possible support to be made available to affected farmers – practical, financial and emotional. Government must step up with targeted assistance, clear communication and swift decision-making so that farm families are not left to carry this burden on their own.
“I will continue to stand up for farmers in North Down and press both Stormont and Westminster to recognise that you cannot keep loading more and more pressures onto those who feed us and expect there to be no consequences. Our farmers deserve respect, security and real support, not new taxes and constant uncertainty.”
Alex Easton MP
Member of Parliament for North Down
