Balmoral Show highlights best of agriculture, O’Neill and Little-Pengelly say

Northern Ireland’s biggest agricultural event is a showcase for all that is good in the sector, Stormont’s leaders have said.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly visited the Balmoral Show on its first day on Wednesday, where sunny weather helped to draw large crowds.

The show is expected to attract more than 100,000 to the Eikon Exhibition Centre at Lisburn’s Balmoral Park over the next four days.

Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it will feature more than 600 trade stands and 3,500 animals will be on display.

One of the biggest attractions on Wednesday was the “dancing” JCB diggers, which brought large crowds of spectators to the main exhibition space.

A sustainability village is showcasing green innovations being introduced in farming to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will be demonstrating a model farm of the future.

During their visit, Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly viewed a demonstration of cattle, where they handed out rosettes to winners and then helped to parade some of the animals.

Ms O’Neill said the show was an event which was very firmly on her agenda every year.

She said: “The fact that so many people come along to the show every year, I think the weather obviously really helps to bring people out.

“This is a showcase for our agri-food industry, our agricultural industry and so many other businesses.

“It is a real opportunity for us to showcase what we are excellent at, agri-food, farming.

“It is also an opportunity for people to get together. It is a social occasion.”

The First Minister added: “For us it’s about being here to show support to our wider agri-food sector and our farming sector.

“Particularly at this moment of time when they are worried about some policy decisions which have been taken over in London.”

Ms Little-Pengelly said: “The sun is shining, it’s to be shining for the rest of the show as well.

“It would be really good to get as many people here as possible enjoying the show.

“It is a real showcase of everything around agriculture, agri-food, so many local businesses.

“We are really proud of the Balmoral Show.

“It attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Lagan Valley but it is a showcase for right across Northern Ireland.”

Among the other visitors to the show on its first day were Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir.

Mr Muir announced a new food action plan on behalf of the Executive.

He said: “The Food Action Plan is a collective Executive commitment to a fresh approach to food offering a new way forward focused on practical actions that maximise the opportunities our food system offers to benefit health as well as the economy and environment of Northern Ireland.”

The plan sets out the first steps to implement the NI Food Strategy Framework and contains 39 actions to be delivered over the next two years.

The Minister added: “I am delighted to formally launch the first Food Action Plan which outlines the steps we will take over the next two years, underpinned by eight important decision-making principles such as the right to food, sustainability, collaboration and leadership.”