Nature payments start to roll for farmers in Northern Ireland

Farmers in Northern Ireland have started to receive their first payments through the devolved administration’s Farming with Nature Transition Scheme.

Almost 500 farm businesses are set to receive a share of £2.7m, with payments being made for work completed before April 2026.

The first year of the scheme has rewarded farmers for carrying out environment actions to support biodiversity, store carbon, and protect watercourses.

See also: Joint Ireland-NI bovine TB project secures £9.6m

This has resulted in more than 134km of hedgerows being planted, along with the creation of about 35km of riparian buffer strips, the establishment of 670ha of multispecies winter cover crop, and the retention of just over 836ha of winter stubble across farmland.

Northern Ireland agriculture minister Andrew Muir said: “The Farming with Nature Scheme is critical to help arrest and reverse the declines in farmland nature, while delivering a range of important environmental public goods such as improvement in water quality and carbon sequestration, alongside food production.”

The second year of the scheme is set to open for applicants next week, from 30 June until 31 July.

Deara says it will offer greater flexibility, more choice, and new actions shaped by stakeholder feedback, although final details still need to be confirmed.