Community urged to attend show

Councillor Butler said: “I call on the Lagan Valley community to rally behind the constituency’s hard-pressed farming sector by supporting any forthcoming agricultural shows.

“For the past number of years, our agricultural sector in the Province has taken a financial battering from the effects of the BSE crisis, Foot and Mouth Disease, and ever-challenging regulations from the European Parliament.

“These events have placed numerous burdens on our agricultural sector in Lagan Valley with many farmers facing severe financial hardships.

“However, there is one way in which everyone in the constituency can rally behind our farming families and that is by making a point of attending the agricultural shows.

“With an ever-growing list of restrictions being imposed on farmers as a result of BSE, FMD and European red tape, is it any wonder that our agricultural sector has the perception that it is the forgotten industry in terms of public support?

“Now the community has a golden opportunity to clearly demonstrate to the farming sector that it has the full backing of the Ulster public, especially in Lagan Valley. These traditional annual shows have built impressive reputations as being highly enjoyable events for all the family.

“So I publicly encourage as many families as possible to give their open support to the farmers by visiting the shows and making 2015’s attendances among the best ever in the history of these agricultural events.”