157th Balmoral Show and Northern Ireland agriculture

That this House congratulates the organisers, exhibitors, competitors, volunteers and all those involved in the successful staging of the 157th Balmoral Show, and in particular commends the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society for the successful organisation of this year’s event over four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre on the outskirts of Lisburn; recognises the Show as one of the largest and most prestigious agricultural events anywhere in the United Kingdom and a proud showcase for the very best of Northern Ireland’s farming, food and rural communities; notes the immense contribution of the agri-food sector to Northern Ireland, sustaining in the region of 113,000 jobs, contributing approximately £5 billion annually to the economy and producing enough food to feed around 10 million people each year; further recognises the central importance of farmers and agricultural producers in strengthening food security, sustaining rural communities and maintaining the highest standards of food production and animal welfare; and calls on Government to ensure that agriculture is treated as a strategic national priority, with policies that support and strengthen the farming industry and provide confidence for the future of this vital sector.