Farm Sustainability Standards (FSS)

General Information Sheet

This has been provided on the link below. This outlines the new arrangements for 2026 for the Farm Sustainability Standards.

Information Sheet 

Farm Sustainability Standards (FSS) Overview Video

See video below

 

 

Farm Sustainability Standards address the following areas:

• Protection of the environment
• Animal, human health and welfare
• Biosecurity and traceability

Schemes covered by Farm Sustainability Standards

All farmers claiming under the following Schemes must meet the Farm Sustainability Standards:

• Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme
• Environmental Farming Scheme
• Protein Crops Scheme
• Forestry Expansion Scheme
• Forest Protection Scheme
• Woodland Investment Grant
• Small Woodland Grant Scheme
• Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (agreements signed after 01/01/2007)
• Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme
• Young Farmers’ Scheme (not open to new applicants)
• Suckler Cow Scheme
• Farming with Nature Transition Scheme

Legislative Basis

EU regulations are now part of UK assimilated law by Article 137 of the Withdrawal Agreement as implemented by section1(1) of the Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Act 2020 and have been amended by secondary legislation made under the Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Act 2020 and the Agriculture Act 2020. Specific legislative provisions relating to Farm Sustainability Standards are contained in:

• The Farm Sustainability Standards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (S.R. 2025 No.165)
• The Financial Management and Monitoring Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013  (the Horizontal Regulation)
• The Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 640/2014
• The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014

Who is responsible for meeting Farm Sustainability Standards?

Farm Sustainability Standards apply for the whole calendar year to all land and animals within your business, including rented and common grazing land.

As the claimant, it is your responsibility to make sure Farm Sustainability Standards are met.

Farm Sustainability Standards 1-7 Underpinning Requirements

Farm Sustainability Standards Underpinning Requirements Documents

Inspections

Farm Sustainability inspections check that you are complying with rules and regulations across different areas of your business.

We check that you are meeting all standards set out in legislation for:

1. FSS1 – Protection of Waters from Pollution
2. FSS2 – Protection of Habitats and Biodiversity
3. FSS3 – Protection of Landscape, Archaeological and Heritage Features
4. FSS4 – Protection of Soils
5. FSS5 – Food and Feed, Herd and Flock Health and Biosecurity
6. FSS6 – Welfare and Protection of Farmed Livestock (including Transport)
7. FSS7 – Livestock Identification and Traceability

Results of inspections can affect payments you have applied for in respect of:

• Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme
• Environmental Farming Scheme
• Protein Crops Scheme
• Forestry Expansion Scheme
• Forest Protection Scheme
• Woodland Investment Grant
• Small Woodland Grant Scheme
• Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (agreements signed after 1/1/07)
• Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme
• Young Farmers’ Scheme (not open to new applicants)
• Suckler Cow Scheme
• Farming with Nature Transition Scheme

What we do

Upon arriving at your farm our inspector, where possible, will explain the purpose of their visit, the reason for the inspection and how the inspection will be carried out. They will explain what they need from you and how long they expect the inspection to take.

When we enter and leave your property we will take the appropriate measures to avoid the spread of disease.

During inspections our inspector will check that the requirements of the Farm Sustainability Standards are being met. This can involve visually checking land, physically checking animals and examining records.

Where appropriate, you or your representative should accompany our inspector during their inspection of your property.

For livestock inspections you can help by making sure that official ear tags are present and correct. You should be prepared to present your animals and make sure that facilities for handling livestock are suitable and well maintained.

For cattle use Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) to check your animal registration and movement information and correct any mistakes on the system.

Penalty Matrix

2026 Key Dates

Standard	Date	Description
All	1st January	Start of Farm Sustainability Standards. This date is also officially the start of the Farm Sustainability Payment
FSS 7	1st January	An annual inventory of sheep/goats must be kept and provided to DAERA upon request.
FSS 4	15th January	From harvest until 15th January one of the following must be in place: • Crop stubble remains • Cover crop is sown • Erosion control measures if sowing is not possible
FSS 1	31st January	Non-derogated farms must submit organic manure exports to DAERA online.
FSS 1	1st February	For the month of February Increase buffers to a. 15m from a waterway and 30m from a lake. b. from 3m to 5m for grassland fields less than a hectare in size or 50m in width where the land has a slope of less than 10% towards the waterway and the organic manure is spread by LESSE bandspreader, dribble bar, trailing hose, trailing shoe or soil injection.
FSS 1	1st February	All closed season spreading reopen subject to suitable soil and weather conditions.
FSS 1	1st March	Derogated farms must submit organic manure exports to DAERA online.
FSS 1	1st March	Derogated farms must prepare and retain a Fertilisation Plan.
FSS 1	1st March	Derogated farms must submit a Fertilisation Account to DAERA online.
FSS 1	1st March	Ensure temporary grassland is ploughed in Spring (March, April and May).
FSS 2	1st March	No hedge cutting, or removal, scrub cutting or removal or cutting of trees within hedges (including trimming, laying and coppicing).
FSS 2	15th April	No burning of any land (including uplands), scrub, heather, gorse, whin or fern.
FSS 1	15th June	Apply at least 50% of slurry produced on the holding on or before 15 June of each year.  LESSE shall be used for any slurry applications after 15th June each year.
FSS 2	1st September	Hedge cutting, or removal, scrub cutting or removal or cutting of trees within hedges (including trimming, laying and coppicing) can commence. Even if a derogation is granted, no works should take place if there is evidence of nesting birds.
FSS 2	1st September	Burning of any land (including uplands), scrub, heather, gorse, whin or fern can commence. No burning should take place if there is evidence of nesting birds.
FSS 1	1st September	Ensure livestock manure is not spread in the autumn (months of September, October & November) before grass cultivation (ploughing & reseeding).
FSS 1	15th September	Farmers must ensure that N fertilisers, chemical and organic (with the exception of dirty water), is not applied to land during the closed spreading periods for chemical fertiliser.
FSS 1	30th September	From 30 September to 15 October Increase buffers to a. 15m from a waterway and 30m from a lake. b. from 3m to 5m for grassland fields less than a hectare in size or 50m in width where the land has a slope of less than 10% towards the waterway and the organic manure is spread by LESSE bandspreader, dribble bar, trailing hose, trailing shoe or soil injection.
FSS 1	15th October	Farmers must ensure that N fertilisers, chemical and organic (with the exception of dirty water), is not applied to land during the closed spreading periods for organic fertiliser.
FSS 1	31st October	Farmers must ensure that N fertilisers, chemical and organic (with the exception of dirty water), is not applied to land during the closed spreading periods for farmyard manure.

Northern Ireland Cross Compliance Standards (2018-2025)

Please see link to - Cross-Compliance Standards