Northern Ireland’s Protein Aid Scheme, which runs until the end of the 2026 growing season, is now under review.
This was confirmed by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) policy director, Rosemary Agnew, speaking at the 2025 Arable Conference, hosted in partnership by the Ulster Arable Society (UAS), the College of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (CAFRE) and the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU).
She spoke about the success of the measure up to this point. In 2020 a total of 152ha of protein crops were grown under the scheme, rising to 803ha in 2024.
The scheme delivers a support payment of £330/ha towards the production of eligible crops: spring beans, peas, and lupins.
Currently there is scope to provide support within the measure of up to 1,300ha of crop output.
Agnew further explained, “The review of the protein aid measure will be undertaken by the Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute.
“This work is already underway. It will look specifically at the environmental impact of growing protein crops in Northern Ireland.
“It will also look at expanding the number of crop options that can be included within a future scheme.”
She added that Northern Ireland’s farm minister, Andrew Muir, is broadly supportive of the Protein Aid Scheme.
The DAERA representative pointed to the potential of increasing the footprint of the arable sector, following many years of progressive decline in favour of grassland output.
Where future support measures are concerned, Rosemary Agnew pointed to the plans to develop new capital grant schemes, a number of which should prove attractive to arable farmers.
Turning to future area-based support measures that will be made available in Northern Ireland, Rosemary Agnew highlighted two important qualifying criteria that must be met by participating farmers.
She explained, “Full participation in the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme will be a mandatory requirement. This commitment will extend to the actual soil testing and analysis plus the commensurate training that is available as an integral part of the scheme.
“There will also be a requirement for farmers to measure the actual carbon footprint of their businesses.
“An announcement regarding which carbon calculator will be used in Northern Ireland is expected in the near future.”
Significantly, the DAERA official sees the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme as the forerunner of a programme which will actively require farmers to develop nutrient management plans for their businesses.
And looking further ahead, this work may well be included as part of the pre-condition for eligibility, where future farm support measures are concerned.
