Society members

back Maze move

ROYAL Ulster Agricultural So-
ciety members have voted over-
whelmingly to accept the much-
discussed move to a new home at
the Maze.
At a special meeting held at
Balmoral last night, a show of
hands was all that was required
to seal the deal.
Approximately 600 members
took part in the vote, with 92 per
cent saying yes to the proposed
move, RUAS chief executive
Colin McDonald told the News
Letter.
This leaves the way open for
the society to sign off on formal
agreements with the Offce of
the First Minister and Deputy
First Minister regarding the pro-
curement of the site at the Maze,
which will be offcially named
Balmoral Park.
We will also be moving for-
ward with the proposed Legacy
Project at the existing Balmoral
site as a matter of priority.
Mr McDonald also confrmed
that Balmoral Show 2013 will
take place at its new home.
And to this end, we will be
consulting with breed societies,
trade exhibitors and all other
interested parties as a matter of
priority.
A tremendous amount of work
is required to ensure that the new
site is made ready for next years
big event, he said.
According to Mr McDonald,
the yes vote will help secure the
long term fnances of the society,
develop new, world-class show-
grounds and position the RUAS
at the hub of a potential centre
for rural excellence at the new
location.
We always knew that, for
many, this would be a hearts and
minds issue, which is totally un-
derstandable due to our connec-
tion to the Kings Hall and the
entire Balmoral site, he said.
The societys future plans fo-
cus on the development of the
Legacy Project, which links the
future development of both the
Balmoral and Maze sites.
It will be delivered through a
joint venture between the RUAS
and the development arm of a
UK plc. This will see the entire
site at Balmoral developed in a
way which ticks all boxes, said
the RUAS.
BY RICHARD HALLERON
newsdesk@newsletter.co.uk
RUAS president John Bamber and chief executive Colin McDonald outside the Kings Hall in Belfast prior to last nights
vote PICTURE: Jonathan Porter/Presseye
Funeral planned
for murdered
widower SEE PAGE 7
Golf course
tribute to IRA
victim SEE PAGE 3
The pride of Northern Ireland
Price: 75p (IR 1.05 EURO) Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Since 1737
www.newsletter.co.uk



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Turn to page 12
FAI to probe sectarian chanting at Euro 2012 PAGE 13
INSIDE
UFU welcomes latest
on LFA negotiations
THE Ulster Farmers Union has confrmed to Farming Life that the latest developments in the CAP Reform negotiations could be good news for farmers in the Less Favoured Areas (LFA). A union spokesperson continued: Documents recently published by the Danish Agricultural Presidency of the EU and the European Parliament indicate that proposed changes to the LFA system could be delayed. Europe previously planned to conduct a separate review of the LFA system which
could have resulted in signifcant changes in Northern Ireland, but it appears the timetable for change may be delayed as EU politicians and offcials focus on the overall CAP reform package. The UFU says the potential delays will be welcomed by LFA producers. The UFU have always argued for the need to retain as much of Northern Irelands current LFA area as possible, given the importance of the LFACA payment to farmers in Northern Ireland as these farms face signifcant natural handicaps that add considerable cost to production. The proposed Rural
Development Programme Regulation originally stipulated that the new Areas of Natural Constraints would have to be designated as electoral wards and that at least 66% of the Usable Agricultural Area within that area must be naturally constrained according to certain biophysical criteria. The UFU have expressed concern regarding designating at electoral ward level because they can change and are a less accurate refection of land quality. The UFU therefore welcome the support for fexibility to use an alternative local administrative unit, such as town lands, whilst there are also
calls for the 66% threshold to be reduced to 60% which may help to bring in more LFA land. However in order to evaluate the impact of the legislative proposals on Northern Ireland LFA land thoroughly it is necessary to have sight of the DARD maps illustrating the various scenarios, which the UFU hopes will be available soon. The LFA currently accounts for 70% plus of the land farmed in Northern Ireland. Additional support measures have traditionally been made available to farmers in these areas to compensate for the range of disadvantages they face.
By RichaRd halleRon
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Developments good news for farmers
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Pictured preparing for the yFcUs beef and sheep stockjudging heats are ann calwell from event sponsor Ulster Bank with lucy hurrell from
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