UFU President John Thompson said: "At our meeting with the Agriculture Minister this week in UFU headquarters, we raised the issue of the lengthy delay to the Rose Energy project. The Minister made clear her party's position on Rose Energy and confirmed that she had instructed her Department to look for alternatives.

"Little time remains for Northern Ireland to find a way to comply with the requirements of the EU's Nitrates and Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directives. The poultry industry needs a long-term solution and scientific research has proved that the Rose Energy project so far is the only viable solution for poultry litter. The UFU has been actively seeking a resolution to this issue since 2002 and it is frustrating that we are now coming to the end of 2011 and we don't seem to be any further forward.

"We understand that Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, will be making a decision in relation to the Rose Energy project in the near future and we are hoping that this will be a positive decision that allows the project to move forward."