Balmporal Show hears from young farmers - video Dailymotion

Skip to player Skip to main content Skip to footer

14/05/2025

Richard Beattie YFCU at Balmoral Show 2025

Category

Transcript

Display full video transcript

00:00This is Richard Beatty, President of the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster.

00:04Richard we're here on the first day of Balmoral 2025 and I'm just speaking to you about the

00:10issues that are on the hearts and minds of young farmers across Northern Ireland.

00:13You've got a membership of three and a half thousand, is that right?

00:16Yes, three and a half thousand members across the province.

00:19Yes.

00:20That's a very strong, within the largest rural organisation in Northern Ireland.

00:24So you're telling me that two of the issues uppermost in young farmers' minds these days

00:29are coming out of a significant issue of rural isolation since COVID and also the inheritance

00:37tax issues that have been implemented by the Labour government.

00:41So if we could just talk to rural isolation, that has been a real issue, according to your

00:46members, but they're bouncing back?

00:49Yes.

00:50I think we're incredibly lucky the membership has bounced back well from COVID and since

00:54even before COVID it's increased significantly from that there.

00:58Young Farmers is the largest rural youth organisation.

01:01We offer a safe space and somewhere for young people to go to in rural areas.

01:07With that they have a membership from 12 to 30, so it's a great place to mentor older members,

01:12to help mentor younger members through the organisation.

01:16And we've been our structure with a club level county and then the whole way to province

01:21level Northern Ireland.

01:22So it offers young people a good opportunity along the way.

01:26And the tax issue, that's exercising the minds of your members who have got their eye

01:32on a career on the family farm, Richard?

01:34Yes.

01:35Well, thanks to everybody involved in farming, be it from the family farm through the whole

01:39agri-food industry.

01:40The changes in inheritance tax, it's been flagged as an issue from our membership and we did

01:44carry out surveys from that and over 90% of members seen it as a negative effect on their

01:49careers in agriculture, not just those inherent in family farms.

01:54It's been, as young farmers president and organisation, we have worked, we tried to work with government

02:00to try and lobby that they were recently given evidence in Westminster to sort of highlight

02:06the points from a young farmer's point of view and it's just really the concern.

02:10Are you seeing any sign of change coming down the line?

02:12The government seems to be quite resolute, don't they?

02:14They seem to be, but as we've learnt in the last week or 10 days, I think things might be

02:19changing slightly over in Westminster, so hopefully we have a government that's maybe more willing

02:25to listen to the views of the young people.

02:27So realistically, what would you be hoping for if there is some change coming down the

02:32pipeline?

02:33Well, consultation, first and foremost, we'd like to see the inheritance tax removed in

02:40terms of agricultural property relief.

02:42That was obviously the key aim for all members of the young farmers across the board, so hopefully

02:47they can come to us.

02:49Thank you!

Recommended

0:46

Up next

Balmoral Show 2025 crowds begin

14/05/2025

0:52

Fan makes the trip from Finland for The Open at Royal Portrush

yesterday

2:10

Richard Beattie Glenpark Estate

14/05/2025

1:27

Balmoral Show - beef farmer Edwin Poots

14/05/2025

2:57

Crowds Balmoral Show 2025 Belfast News Letter

15/05/2025

1:48

21/02/2025

0:37

The Dancing Grannies at Balmoral Show 2025

14/05/2025

0:17

Balmoral Show John Henning Belfast News Letter

16/05/2025

0:14

Duke of Edinburgh at RUAS Winter Fair

12/12/2024

0:47

Gavin Robinson Balmoral Belfast News Letter

14/05/2025

2:52

Tug of war Balmoral Show Belfast News Letter

15/05/2025

2:12

Balmoral Show 2025 Day 1 - Belfast News Letter

14/05/2025

1:24

Glenpark Estate at Balmoral Show

14/05/2025

0:49

Equestrian Balmoral Show Belfast News Letter

15/05/2025

9:22

Balmoral Show Day 1

14/05/2025

0:45

Volunteer Balmoral Belfast News Letter

15/05/2025

0:41

Sunny February Belfast News Letter

06/02/2025

1:45

Balmoral 2025: Champion sheep-shearer on what it takes to compete

15/05/2025

3:34

Glenpark Estate Dinosaurs and Alpacas at Balmoral Show

14/05/2025

1:19

Grahamsbridge Road

18/06/2025

4:42

Balmoral Show 2024 - Day 2 round- up Belfast News Letter

16/05/2024

0:54

Fine weather Belfast News Letter

17/06/2025

1:42

Duke of Edinburgh visiting RUAS Winter Fair at Lisburn

12/12/2024

1:12

The Belfast News Letter

17/03/2022

0:58

Balmoral Show 2024: Gavin Robinson enjoys the sunshine at Balmoral: Belfast News Letter

16/05/2024