Stormont has been accused of 'disregarding' the sheep sector after proposals for Northern Ireland’s future agricultural policy were launched.
The National Sheep Association (NSA) said it was 'dismayed' to see a lack of support for the sector after an announcement from DAERA farming minister.
In a statement made last week, Edwin Poots outlined 54 policy decisions on the future agricultural policy for Northern Ireland.
Included in the document are a farm sustainability payment, farming with nature package, farming for carbon and a beef sustainability package.
Mr Poots said: “The future policy provides a fresh vision for a future agricultural regime that promotes productive, efficient practices through greater innovation and capacity.
“It is my view that my policy decisions announced today are absolutely vital to support sustainable farming and rural communities.”
But the NSA said there were no further proposals to help support the Northern Irish sheep sector, such as incentivising productivity in breeding ewes.
The industry body said this was an "exclusion of particular importance" due to productivity efficiency leading to reduced carbon footprints.
Northern Ireland has a population of more than 968,000 breeding ewes, supporting rural businesses, communities and the landscape.
NSA NI development officer, Edward Adamson said to disregard the value of this sector was 'short-sighted'.
"Supporting one sector in favour of another has the potential to distort the marketplace and the balance between cattle and sheep.
"The decision also has the potential to damage the NI wool market. It is hard to understand why sheep have not been treated on an equivalent per hectare basis as beef cattle.”
Consultation responses to the policy proposals showed that sheep play an integral role in maintaining landscapes, including a specific recognition of the uplands, and providing a host of wider public goods.
Many respondents indicated support was needed for the sector to help improve health and welfare, invest in genetics and improve the quality of the sheep flock.
NSA chief executive, Phil Stocker said the NI sheep sector was already in a 'vulnerable' position as it was operating within a volatile marketplace.
He said the Ruminant Genetics Programme should be open to the beef and sheep sector at the same time, as well as a package of measures to incentivise enhanced sheep health and welfare outcomes.
"NSA is dismayed about the omission when we know the contribution sheep farming makes and are clear about what can be done to take the sector forward.
"NSA would encourage DAERA to look again at these decisions and extend tailored support to the sheep sector from the outset."
