What is the Farming with Nature Transition (FwNT) Scheme - Year 2?
The Farming with Nature Transition (FwNT) Scheme forms part of the wider Farming with Nature Package within Northern Ireland’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme and replaces the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS). It is designed to support farmers and land managers across all land types to deliver meaningful environmental improvements while building more sustainable farming systems. The Package aims to reverse nature decline through retaining, maintaining, restoring and creating habitats that are important for species diversity and improved connectivity between habitat areas.
Background
The Farming with Nature Transition (FwNT) Scheme, initially launched in 2025, has been expanded and revised for 2026/27, and incentivises a range of actions with proven valuable environmental impact.
The FwNT Scheme offers financial support to farmers to cover the costs of carrying out environmental actions, as well as the capital items needed to implement them. These actions are designed to deliver specific environmental benefits through the creation and management of habitats, protection of watercourses and provision of green infrastructure for nature corridors.
The FwNT Scheme Year 2 will open for applications on the 30 June 2026 at 9am, with the application window closing on Friday 31 July 2026 at 5pm. No late applications will be accepted.
All selected actions and associated supporting items must be carried out in line with the provided specifications. Work must be completed by 28 February 2027, with the exception of the Retention of Winter Stubble action, which must be retained to the 15 February, and the Multi-species Winter Cover Crop action which must be retained to the 15 of February and then destroyed in line with normal husbandry practice. The Arable - Flower-rich Grass Margin action must be established by 30 September 2026.
FwNT Scheme - Recap and Overview
Overview of Actions Video
SAP Farming with Nature Booklet
The Department has produced a Farming with Nature Information Booklet which can be viewed at SAP Farming with Nature Information Booklet
Policy Context
The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union has provided Northern Ireland with a unique opportunity to redefine its agricultural policy for the first time in almost 50 years, with the aim of developing a framework that is better suited to local needs and one that will underpin long term sustainability within the agri-food industry.
The FwN Package forms part of the programme of change being progressed through the DAERA Sustainable Agriculture Programme. It aims to contribute to the delivery of many of DAERA’s strategic environmental outcomes by supporting farmers and land managers to make substantial contributions to environmental improvements and sustainability.
Following public consultation on proposals for future agricultural policy, the Future Agricultural Policy Decisions for Northern Ireland was published in March 2022. A copy of these decisions can be found here: