31/01/2024 Northern Ireland power sharing government and what it could mean for farmers; Dairy exports; Upland farmers.

As politicians look set to return to Stormont in Northern Ireland, we look at what that means for food and farming. For farmers a full-time working government could mean more clarity on the way forward for post-Brexit farm subsidies. Could it mean the end of customs checks on goods from Great Britain which remain in Northern Ireland and do not cross the border into the Republic and the EU's Single Market? We speak to BBC Northern Ireland's agriculture and environment correspondent to help unpick what impact this is likely to have on agriculture and trade. The new biosecurity regulations on imported goods from the EU have just come into force. More stringent checks are being carried out including on many food consignments. A report just published by the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee of MPs says it's concerned about cuts in funding for spot checks on animal products and the fact that the location for these is 22 miles away from the Port of Dover.

All week we're looking at trade and how British importers and exporters are faring with post-Brexit changes. Coombe Castle in Wiltshire exports dairy products around the world. They say friction at the border with Europe and the ending of the trade deal with Canada last year, is going to hit them hard, because Canada accounted for a third of their cheese exports. Upland hill farmers have accused the government of failing to support them. Despite recent increases in subsidy payments, announced by DEFRA earlier this month, hill farmers say many of the new schemes still don’t work for them. The payments are part of the post-Brexit Environmental Land Management Schemes brought in to replace payments under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.  Presenter = Anna Hill

Producer = Rebecca Rooney