A £150,000 grant to provide agricultural-related training and rural development promotion among young people has been approved by the Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen.
Announcing the funding, the Minister said it would be used to support the delivery of additional, targeted work that the current 59 clubs do with their 3,000 members.
There are a number of very active local Young Farmers’ Clubs in the area – including Collone, Mountnorris, Newtownhamilton and Bleary – for which this will come as very welcome news.
Minister McIlveen said she fully recognised the “commitment and contribution” that the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU) make to the rural community.
“It is clearly a very hard working and dynamic organisation that continues to champion the needs of young, rural people right across Northern Ireland,” she said.
“YFCU is the leading representative group for people aged 12 to 30 years in agricultural and rural communities and we have been supporting the organisation since 1934.
“This two year funding package will enable them to offer a wider range of activities, as well as encouraging involvement and commitment to education and training.
“I wish Roberta Simmons, President and Michael Reid, Chief Executive Officer and their teams every success as they continue to educate and inspire our rural youth.”
