Farmers in north Tyrone and Co. Derry are invited to register for Zone 3 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) from today (Monday, June 24).
Registration for the scheme will close on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Participation in the SNHS will be a requirement to receive payments under future farm support schemes, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has confirmed.
This conditionality requires participation in the SNHS and completion of the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise’s (CAFRE) SNHS training when it is offered to farmers.
Farm businesses in Zone 3 of the SNHS will be written to by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
To date, over 6,000 farmers in Zone 1 and 6,000 farmers in Zone 2 have received soil analysis results for their farms, including pH, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) and sulphur (S), together with organic matter estimation and crop specific lime and fertiliser recommendations.
Soil Nutrient Health Scheme
Registration for Zone 1 of the scheme, which covers Co. Down as well as parts of Co. Antrim and Co. Armagh, opened in May 2022 and closed in September of the same year.
Zone 2, which covers Co. Fermanagh, west Armagh and south Tyrone, opened for registrations in June 2023 and closed in August 2023.
There was over 90% uptake in both Zone 1 and Zone 2.
Farmers in Zone 1 and Zone 2 who have not yet registered can apply from June 24 to August 31, 2024 as well.
CAFRE’s SNHS training and provides advice on the interpretation of the analysis reports, preparation of nutrient management plans and the role of carbon on farms.