The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced a further extension to Northern Ireland’s pilot Protein Crop Scheme, pushing its lifespan to seven years despite participation having fallen by nearly half since a 2024 peak. The scheme, which pays farmers £330 per hectare to grow beans, peas and lupins as alternatives to imported soya, will now run until the end of 2027.
The extension allows time for an ongoing environmental and economic assessment to conclude in May 2027, though questions remain about why farmer uptake has dropped so sharply and whether the pilot format has delivered value for money.
Participation peaks then plummets
When the Protein Crop Scheme launched as a post-Brexit pilot in 2021, it represented a new direction for Northern Irish agriculture. The region had grown just 153 hectares of protein crops in 2020, relying on over half a million tonnes of imported protein annually for animal feed—369,000 tonnes of soya alone in 2019, according to DAERA’s 2021 consultation document.
The scheme’s early years showed promise:
- 2021: According to DAERA figures reported at the time, 95 farmers participated, with area increasing 450% from 2020 levels
- 2023: 126 farmers grew 784 hectares
- 2024: Area peaked at 802 hectares
- 2026: Area fell to 422 hectares—a 47% decline from the peak, representing only 32% of the 1,300 hectare cap
This downward trend is particularly striking because the scheme’s maximum supported area was actually increased from 1,000 hectares to 1,300 hectares in 2023 to “allow for continued evolution of the market and supply chains.” Instead, farmers have used barely one-third of the available capacity.
The press release does not address possible factors such as volatile commodity prices, weather impacts on harvests, competition from other crops, or farmers finding the £330/hectare payment insufficient to offset risks and labour costs.
What the scheme offers
Eligible crops under the pilot include spring and winter field beans, spring and winter peas, and spring and winter sweet lupins. Spring field beans remain the most popular choice, followed by spring peas.
Key terms for 2027:
- Payment rate: £330 per hectare (unchanged since 2021)
- Maximum area: 1,300 hectares annually
- Minimum claim: 0.3 hectares
- Application: Through the annual Single Application
- Additional benefit: Paid on top of Basic Payment/Farm Sustainability Payment
The payment rate has not increased since the scheme’s inception, despite inflation eroding its real value. For context, the 2021 consultation document noted this rate was chosen to match a similar Republic of Ireland scheme paying €365/hectare in 2019.
Minister’s statement
Minister Andrew Muir framed the extension as necessary for proper evaluation:
“The extended pilot scheme will therefore now run to the end of the 2027 scheme year to allow a full assessment of the environmental and sustainability benefits which protein crops can deliver.”
This follows previous extensions. The scheme was initially a one-year pilot for 2021, then extended to 2023, then to 2026. Each extension has been justified by the need for further assessment—raising questions about when sufficient evidence will accumulate to justify a permanent scheme or a decision to discontinue.
Unanswered questions
Several gaps in DAERA’s announcement merit scrutiny:
The mystery assessment: The “project” evaluating environmental and economic benefits is mentioned but not described. Who is conducting it? What methodology are they using? Will findings be published? The press release offers no details.
Farmer numbers: While hectare figures are provided, the number of participating farmers in 2024, 2025 and 2026 is omitted—making it impossible to assess whether the decline reflects fewer farmers or each farmer growing less area.
Comparative performance: No context is given on how Northern Ireland’s scheme compares to protein crop support in England, Scotland or Wales, or whether the 422 hectares grown in 2026 represents success or failure against original policy aims.
Future commitment: The extension to 2027 stops short of making the scheme permanent. Farmers facing long-term business planning may view this as continued uncertainty rather than genuine support.
Why protein crops matter
Protein crops offer genuine agricultural and environmental benefits that DAERA’s announcement underplays. Legumes like beans and peas naturally fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers—particularly relevant given recent price spikes. They break pest and disease cycles in cereal rotations, improve soil structure, and provide pollen and nectar for pollinators.
For Northern Ireland’s livestock sector, domestic protein sources could reduce dependence on imported soya linked to deforestation overseas. The 2019 figure of 369,000 tonnes of imported soya alone illustrates the scale of potential substitution.
However, these benefits depend on sufficient uptake. At 422 hectares in 2026—roughly 0.02% of Northern Ireland’s agricultural land—the scheme’s impact remains marginal.
Questions for consideration
- Why has participation fallen so sharply since 2024, and what has DAERA done to understand and address this decline?
- Given the scheme has operated for six years by 2027, what criteria will determine whether it becomes permanent or ends?
- Should the £330/hectare payment rate be reviewed given inflation and changing input costs since 2021?
- How does Northern Ireland’s approach compare to protein crop support in other UK regions and the Republic of Ireland?
- What interim findings, if any, have emerged from the ongoing assessment project?
What happens next
Farmers wishing to participate in 2027 must apply through their annual Single Application. The assessment project is due to conclude in May 2027, suggesting a decision on the scheme’s future could follow later that year.
The repeated extensions create a situation where farmers may perceive continued uncertainty about long-term support. With the Ulster Farmers’ Union having previously called for “urgent clarity” on the scheme’s future, farmers may hope the 2027 deadline finally brings definitive answers.