The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme in Northern Ireland: what’s changed?
NRM
Are you in Zone 2 in Northern Ireland? The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, DAERA, is closing the registration window today (31st August 2023) for its Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS).
DAERA is investing £37 million in the SNHS over four years. This scheme provides farmers with the nutrient status of every field across their farm and a baseline estimate of the amount of carbon stored in their soils, hedgerows, and trees. Ultimately, the aim of the SNHS, which is running until 2026, is to improve sustainability and efficiency in the farming sector.
The SNHS is being delivered by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) across 27,000 farms in Northern Ireland, and up to 700,000 fields are projected to be sampled by the end of the scheme.
Helping farmers better match crop nutrient need with the available nutrient supply from the soil should lead to the better targeting of inputs. This means farmers can save money on unnecessary applications and avoid the risk of over applying nutrients. Focussing applications to land where soil analysis suggests they should be made also reduces the risk of excess nutrients damaging the wider environment. Nutrient runoff and leaching can cause issues with water quality, adversely affect sensitive habitats, and impact NI’s climate change commitments.
What do you need to do?
Northern Ireland has been split into 4 regional zones. Farmers are invited to apply for the SNHS in timed phases. To date, over 6,000 farmers in Zone 1 (County Down and parts of Counties Antrim and Armagh) who applied to the scheme in May 2022 have received standard soil analysis pH, P, K, Mg, S, results, as well as crop specific lime and fertiliser recommendations to help them optimise crop production and improve soil health.
Farm businesses that operate in Zone 2 (Fermanagh, the west of County Armagh and South Tyrone) have been encouraged to register for the scheme since June. Participating in the SNHS means that farmers not only benefit from the better use of nutrients, but it also means that they qualify for the future Farm Sustainability Payments.
Register TODAY to take advantage
Farmers only have today to register for the scheme using their Government Gateway Account. By registering, farmers are able to view all their results online and have access to maps which identifies areas within the farm which could be prone to nutrient run-off.
Another key benefit open to farmers is access to CAFRE SNHS training resources. Here they can find advice on the interpretation of the analysis reports, preparation of nutrient management plans, and the role/benefit of carbon within farming systems.
Scheme guidance (including maps of the specific sampling zones and opening times) can be viewed on the DAERA website.
How NRM can help
NRM, the UK’s leading agricultural analysis laboratory, will be analysing all the samples taken across Northern Ireland. Keep in touch with your local advisor and be aware of when each registration period opens across your region to ensure you take advantage of all the benefits on offer.
For more information on soil sampling and our range of other agricultural analysis services, contact us here.
Visit NRM