Minister Andrew Muir has announced that the second year of the Farming with Nature Transition Scheme will open in June 2026, expanding the environmental actions available to Northern Ireland farmers. Speaking at the Balmoral Show, the DAERA Minister confirmed plans for two additional strands of the Farming with Nature Package to launch later this year, including support for landscape-scale projects and a dedicated scheme for priority habitats.
The Farming with Nature Package represents DAERA’s flagship effort to replace the previous Environmental Farming Scheme and support biodiversity across all farm land types. Year 2 of the transition scheme will add new options including the establishment of herbal leys, creation of arable field margins, and management of habitats established during the scheme’s 2025 launch phase.
Expanded Actions and New Phases for 2026
The forthcoming Year 2 scheme, subject to final approvals, builds upon the initial transition year, which offered payments for actions such as planting new hedgerows, creating riparian buffer strips, and retaining winter stubble. The additional measures aim to improve the “extent, condition and connectivity” of farm habitats.
Beyond the transition scheme, Minister Muir confirmed two further phases planned for 2026:
- A landscape-scale scheme supporting farmers and stakeholders working together on environmental projects spanning multiple holdings
- A priority habitats scheme focusing on designated sites, initially targeting farmers whose Environmental Farming Scheme (Higher) agreements have ended
Minister Muir said: “Farming with Nature is a key priority within my Department’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme reflecting our shared ambition to support an environmentally sustainable, resilient and thriving farming sector. I am delighted to announce that, subject to final approvals, Year 2 of the Farming with Nature Transition Scheme will open in June, offering farmers an expanded range of environmental actions with increased support available.”
He added: “I intend to introduce additional strands of the Farming with Nature Package in 2026, including support to farmers and other stakeholders to work together on landscape-scale environmental projects. In addition, a scheme focusing on priority habitats and designated sites is planned for 2026. This scheme will initially prioritise those businesses that have ended their Environmental Farming Scheme (Higher) agreements.”
Stakeholder Response and Design Process
The Department emphasises that the package has been shaped through “close and constructive engagement” with agricultural, environmental and rural stakeholders. The Minister specifically thanked members of the Farming with Nature stakeholder forum, including the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers’ Association (NIAPA) and Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL).
Minister Muir said: “I want to sincerely thank the members of the Farming with Nature stakeholder forum, including the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers’ Association (NIAPA) and Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL), for their ongoing commitment, expertise and collaborative approach. Their input has been invaluable in ensuring the FwN is practical for farmers while delivering real benefits for nature and the wider public.”
Peter McEvoy, Chair of NIEL’s Sustainable Agriculture Policy Working Group, welcomed the expansion but indicated the need for rapid scaling. He said: “We welcome the opening of the expanded Farming with Nature Transition scheme for 2026, which recognises the importance of agri environment support in rewarding farmers for protecting the ecosystems on which we all depend. We look forward to seeing the Farming with Nature scheme scaled up rapidly to cover priority habitats and landscapes across Northern Ireland and will continue to work constructively with DAERA and industry partners as it develops.”
James Lowe, Chair of NIAPA, focused on the balance between environment and productivity: “NIAPA is very supportive of the Farming with Nature package and the expanded list of actions for the scheme in 2026. We continue to support further development of the package as it seeks to address environmental pressures whilst supporting profitable farming systems.”
Context and Unanswered Questions
While the announcement expands the range of environmental actions, several significant details remain unclear. The Department has not disclosed specific budget allocations for the new phases, nor has it published payment rates for the additional Year 2 actions such as herbal leys and arable margins. This omission makes it difficult for farmers to assess the financial viability of participating compared to other schemes.
The announcement comes against a backdrop of concern regarding Northern Ireland’s agri-environment coverage. According to the 2023 State of Nature report, only 4.8% of agricultural land in Northern Ireland is enrolled in agri-environment schemes—far below the 20% plus coverage seen in England, Scotland and Wales. The Ulster Farmers’ Union has previously raised concerns that funding for the Farming with Nature Package may ultimately be drawn from the ring-fenced agricultural budget, potentially reducing money available through the Farm Sustainability Payment.
Additionally, with the Single Application deadline for the new Farm Sustainability Payment falling on 15 May 2026—tomorrow—farmers currently face a compressed timeline to secure their base support payments before the expanded environmental schemes open.
Questions for Consideration
- How will DAERA ensure the expanded Farming with Nature scheme achieves sufficient uptake to move Northern Ireland closer to the 20% agri-environment coverage seen in other UK regions?
- Will payment rates for the new herbal ley and arable margin options match or exceed those available under previous Environmental Farming Scheme tiers to ensure financial attractiveness?
- How will the proposed landscape-scale projects address practical challenges such as coordinating multiple neighbouring landowners with differing farm sizes and management systems?
- Given that the priority habitats scheme will initially target farmers exiting EFS Higher agreements, what safeguards will prevent a funding gap for those transitioning between schemes?
- How does the Department intend to resolve the tension between using ring-fenced agricultural budget funds for environmental schemes versus direct farm support?
Further details on the opening of Year 2 of the Farming with Nature Transition Scheme are expected in the coming weeks. Farmers can find additional information about the Sustainable Agriculture Programme at daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/sustainable-agriculture-programme and specific details about the Farming with Nature Package at daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/farming-nature-package.