The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), Northern Ireland Meat Exporters Association, Northern Ireland Argricultural Producers Association and the Northern Ireland Poultry Federation have announced that they will now re-engage with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) on Animal Health Responsibility and Cost Sharing, following constructive dialogue with DARD on the Terms of Reference for the process.

UFU says the Terms of Reference for the Northern Ireland Responsibility and Cost Sharing Working Group will now be re-visited, with DARD giving an undertaking that efforts will be made more explicitly to incorporate in the Terms of Reference key issues raised by industry representatives. These include: the desire to achieve demonstrable responsibility sharing before cost-sharing is implemented as well as a thorough examination of the cost efficiencies of DARDs service delivery in a particular area before cost-sharing is considered in that area”.