Soil Nutrient Health Scheme Zone 4 uptake
Date published:
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) has confirmed registration for the fourth and final year of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) closed on 8 September. Across Northern Ireland a total of 92.5% of all farm businesses have now registered to participate in the Scheme.
Farmers in Zone 4 and previously unregistered farm businesses in Zones 1, 2 and 3 were invited to register fields for the soil sampling and analysis programme over the summer months. Within the current registration period 115,400 fields representing 4,450 farm businesses have registered which represents 85.2% of eligible businesses in Zone 4 (Co. Antrim).
The £37m scheme, which is funded by DAERA and managed by AFBI, will commence soil sampling for the current year in November, running through until March 2026. This sampling will cover Zone 4, and any remaining farms registered in Zones 1, 2 and 3.
Alex Higgins, Senior Scientist at AFBI, commented: “Preparations are underway to start sampling from November however, if early sampling has been requested, AFBI’s soil collection contractor, Tetra Tech RPS, will prioritise those from mid-September on.”
Zone 4 Next Steps
In the coming weeks, Tetra Tech RPS will contact all Zone 4 farmers in advance of sampling to give them the opportunity to inform the sampling team of any fields with late slurry/manure applications.
Higgins added: “Once the fields have been sampled farmers can expect to receive their soil sample analysis results and recommendations direct from the soil analysis contractor, Cawood/NRM, within 4-6 weeks. They will subsequently be provided with access to their map-based soil nutrient results and runoff risk maps through the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme Application in their DAERA Government Gateway account.”
Rachel Cassidy, AFBI project lead, said “The results from the SNHS will provide farm businesses with vital information on soil nutrient levels and lime requirements for each field on their farm. CAFRE are providing training to all farmers registered for the scheme and online training can be accessed now via the farm’s Government Gateway account. This will provide essential information on understanding and interpreting the results of soil tests and the key first steps towards nutrient management planning and improving efficiency”.
Over the coming year farm businesses across NI will also be provided with an estimate of the amount of carbon stored in the soils, hedgerows and trees on their farms.
SNHS contacts
The AFBI SNHS Admin team can be contacted on 02890 255212 or email SNHS@afbini.gov.uk
For more information: www.afbini.gov.uk/article/soil-nutrient-health-scheme
Notes to editors:
SNHS is one of the most comprehensive regional soil nutrient sampling schemes to be undertaken anywhere in the world. It will enable Northern Ireland farmers to optimise crop nutrient applications, assess on-farm carbon stocks and build farm resilience.
1. Registrations to Zone 1 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (County Down and parts of Counties Antrim and Armagh) opened from May to September 2022
2. Zone 2 (Fermanagh, the west of County Armagh and South Tyrone) opened from June to August 2023
3. Zone 3 (North Tyrone Co Derry/Londonderry) opened from June to August 2024
4. Zone 4 (Co. Antrim) opened from June to September 2025
5. Registration is through DAERA online services using a Government Gateway Account at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera-online-services.
6. Participation in the SNHS is planned to be a conditionality for the Farm Sustainability Payment from 2026. It is planned that farm businesses will be required to register for the Scheme and complete the training offered by CAFRE.
7. The roll-out of the SNHS continues with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) working closely with the 3 main sub-contractors for the delivery of the Scheme: Tetra Tech RPS (soil collection), Cawood/NRM (soil analysis) and Field Group (LiDAR capture).