The submission deadline date for Northern Ireland’s Soil Nutrient Health Scheme is Wednesday, August 31.
This cut-off date relates specifically to farmers in Zone 1 of the measure, i.e., Armagh/Down.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is keen to ensure that all eligible farmers commit to the soil testing and analysis programme.
Given the pending deadline, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is encouraging farmers located in Zone 1 who have not yet registered, to do so urgently.
Exclusion from Soil Nutrient Health Scheme
If farmers in this zone do not register before the closing date, they will fall short of the eligibility criteria which must be met to receive future agriculture support payments.
These payments include the Farm Sustainability Payment, Beef Sustainability Scheme and Farming With Nature Scheme.
These three new payments will be significant income streams for farmers and land managers going forward, replacing the majority of support currently offered by the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS).
UFU deputy president William Irvine lives in Mountnorris Co. Armagh and farms within the Zone 1 area. He has applied for the scheme.
“When I first received a letter inviting me to register for the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme, I had no hesitation,” he explained.
“The wealth of information that is to be gained on soil nutrient levels for each field on our farm as well as an estimate of the amount of carbon stored in soils, hedgerows, and trees, will be invaluable to us as a farm business and will help to further improve nutrient efficiencies without creating any extra expense.
“Like all Northern Ireland farmers, I too am working to manage the high cost of fertiliser, and soil testing and analysis is more essential than ever to ensure valuable nutrients are targeted where needed to save money and help the environment.”
Applications
The Soil Nutrient Management Scheme, which will be delivered by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), is being rolled out in stages using a zonal approach over the next four years.
Farmers from other zones will be contacted to apply at a later date.
William Irivine continued: “DAERA has informed us that 74% of eligible fields in Zone 1 are now signed up to the scheme.
“We understand that some farmers may have concerns about the use of this data, however, Minister Poots has given the industry reassurances that the information from this scheme will not be used for regulatory purposes.
“We are also worried that many farmers may not have realised that participation in the scheme is a requirement for receiving future payments from DAERA, and they could find themselves at a considerable disadvantage in the future if they fail to act now,” he added.
“Therefore, I encourage all farmers in Zone 1 to make it a priority to register for the scheme before the deadline, August 31.
According to the UFU, training will be given to farmers to help them use the nutrient and carbon data, and in the coming years they will be able to see the positive impact this scheme will have on their farm business and the wider industry.
