Minister Andrew Muir has extended the registration date for Zone 3 of Northern Ireland’s Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS).
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) minister is urging farmers in north Tyrone and Co. Derry to register by the extended date of Friday, September 6.
The previous closing date for registration was this Saturday (August 31).
Minister Muir said: “I am pleased that registrations to Zone 3 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme are continuing to increase since it opened in June.
“However, I understand August is an extremely busy month for farm businesses and therefore I have agreed to offer a one week extension to the deadline for registering online.
“Over 12,000 farm businesses in Zones 1 and 2 are already benefitting from taking part in the scheme, by receiving valuable information which helps farm businesses match slurry, fertiliser and lime applications to crop needs more accurately.”
Muir said this will help to increase efficiency while also reducing the farm’s environmental footprint.
Participation in the SNHS will be a requirement to receive payments under future farm support schemes, DAERA has confirmed.
This conditionality requires participation in the SNHS and completion of the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) SNHS training when it is offered to farmers.
Registration for the scheme is done through the farm business Government Gateway account.
Soil Nutrient Health Scheme
Registration for Zone 1 of the scheme, which covers Co. Down as well as parts of Co. Antrim and Co. Armagh, opened in May 2022 and closed in September of the same year.
Zone 2, which covers Co. Fermanagh, west Armagh and south Tyrone, opened for registrations in June 2023 and closed in August 2023.
There was over 90% uptake in both Zone 1 and Zone 2.
Farmers in Zone 1 and Zone 2 who have not yet registered can apply from June 24 to September 6, 2024 as well.
CAFRE’s SNHS training and provides advice on the interpretation of the analysis reports, preparation of nutrient management plans and the role of carbon on farms.
