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Farmers in the north are being urged to apply for the 2026 Farming with Nature Transition Scheme before applications close at 5pm on 31 July 2026. The scheme offers farm businesses the opportunity to secure up to £20,000 to undertake practical environmental improvements while supporting a more sustainable and resilient farming sector.
The scheme forms part of DAERA's Sustainable Agriculture Programme and is a key Ministerial priority to support farmers in delivering environmental improvements. Following a successful Year 1, the 2026 scheme includes new actions, greater flexibility and expanded eligibility, giving more farmers the opportunity to benefit, with enhancements introduced following feedback from farmers and stakeholders.
Key changes for Year 2 include eligibility extended to include active Environmental Farming Scheme agreement holders, along with the introduction of eight additional actions. These include three new arable field margins, two herbal leys and three management actions for hedgerows, trees and seven metre riparian buffer strips established under Year 1. Farm businesses can apply for up to £20,000 to undertake environmental actions this year, and there is no minimum application value.
To be eligible, applicants must have a DAERA Category 1 or 2 Business Identification Number. Farm businesses that applied in Year 1 are welcome to apply again in Year 2, and businesses that were unable to complete approved actions in Year 1 may reapply for those actions, alongside any additional actions available in Year 2, provided no payment claim was submitted for the unfinished work.
As part of the wider Farming with Nature Package, the scheme is helping to expand nature-friendly farming in Northern Ireland. Approval notifications for the scheme will issue through DAERA Message, and applicants should check their email regularly, including junk mail. Work on Year 2 actions must not begin until an approval notification has been received.
Full guidance, including eligibility criteria and how to videos, is available at www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/farming-nature-package. Applications can be made via an online application, accessed through www2.daera-ni.gov.uk/
For assistance, farmers can contact FarmingwithNature@daera-ni.gov.uk or call 0300 200 7848, selecting option 2 for Grants and Funding, then option 2 again to speak to the Farming with Nature team.
Further information on the Sustainable Agriculture Programme is available on the DAERA website at www.daera-ni.gov.uk, and further information on the Farming with Nature Package can be found at sap-payment-schemes
