Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) and the Irish Moiled Cattle Society have written a joint letter to the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to urge support for Irish Moiled cattle within DAERA’s Farming with Nature Programme.

The rare Irish Moiled is the only surviving domestic cattle breed native to Northern Ireland, embodying the country’s agricultural heritage, ecological resilience, and premium food potential. The breed is currently categorised as ‘At Risk’ on the RBST Watchlist for the UK’s rare native livestock and equine breeds.

The joint letter comes in response to the statement in DAERA’s recent “Questions and Answers Sustainable Agriculture Programme for Northern Ireland” that there are no plans to include actions to support Irish Moiled cattle in the first stage of the Farming with Nature Programme.

Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price said: “Farming with Irish Moiled cattle provides the kind of conservation grazing that regenerates landscapes while producing high-quality food. At the same time as supporting a range of environmental benefits, Irish Moiled beef is highly sought after for its flavour and marbling, with a growing role in Northern Ireland’s food tourism and high-end retail sectors. This breed should be making a very important contribution towards DAERA’s objectives for both the Sustainable Agriculture Programme and the Farming with Nature programme. We are asking that the Farming with Nature framework supports the realisation of this exceptional breed’s potential through measures such as tailored environmental scheme options and native breed supplements.”

The joint letter highlights that the UK National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, launched in March 2025 by the Minister together with other UK agriculture and environment ministers, includes the obligation to “…maintain and restore the genetic diversity within and between populations of native …and domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential, including through in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable management practices …” . The letter states that the Farming with Nature programme, with its focus on rewarding farmers who make meaningful contributions to biodiversity, is one of the main tools for delivering on this commitment.

Michelle McCauley, Chair of the Irish Moiled Cattle Society, said: “Irish Moiled cattle’s light frames and selective grazing habits allow them to maintain sward diversity and reduce soil compaction, which encourages pollinators, wildflowers, and ground-nesting birds. The breed is ideally adapted to low-input, pasture-based systems, and performs well in a variety of marginal habitats including rough uplands, wetlands, and conservation areas. It is exceptionally well-suited to improving soil health, water quality, and climate mitigation, thriving on forage-based systems and reducing reliance on imported feeds which can lower a farm’s carbon footprint. The breed is not only a part of our heritage, it has a vital role to play today and in the future. The Farming with Nature framework should specifically encourage an increase in farming with Irish Moiled cattle.”

See the full letter to the Minister, and associated briefing paper, here – www.rbst.org.uk/news/daera-minister-urged-to-boost-irish-moiled-cattle-in-farming-with-nature-programme