DAERA Minister Muir welcomes the passing of the new Farm Sustainability Standards
Date published:
DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir, has welcomed the passing of the Farm Sustainability Standards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025. These new standards, effective from the 1 January 2026, establish a robust legal framework for agricultural compliance and environmental stewardship across Northern Ireland.
Minister Muir said: “I welcome the passing of the new Farm Sustainability Standards which are an integral part of the wider roll out of the new £300m+ Sustainable Agriculture Programme. The new standards are a modern, simpler, robust and proportionate standards regime covering environmental, public and animal health and welfare issues in Northern Ireland recognising that the vast majority of farmers care deeply for their livestock and seek to protect and look after the environment for future generations.
“The new standards replace the complex Cross Compliance arrangements with opportunity built in to make any necessary adjustments following a review of their operation and impact once up and running. This legislation places Farm Sustainability Standards at the heart of our agricultural policy, establishing a new baseline for environmental, animal welfare, and biosecurity requirements.”
Minister Muir continued “My Department is committed to supporting farmers through the transition from Cross-Compliance to the new Farm Sustainability Standards, ensuring that future support schemes are built on a foundation of responsible stewardship.
"The new penalty regime developed in close collaboration with agricultural stakeholders recognises the importance of education and understanding. Our goal is to help farmers meet these standards. I am fully committed to supporting farmers to remain compliant to avoid penalties and receive their full payments.
"Together, we are laying the groundwork for a thriving, resilient and sustainable agri-food sector that supports family farms and benefits our communities, our climate and our economy.”
The new Farm Sustainability Standards will apply to a range of agricultural support schemes, including the Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme, Protein Crop Scheme, Farming with Nature Package, Environmental Farming Scheme, Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme, and Suckler Cow Scheme.
Key Features of the Farm Sustainability Standards:
- Simplified compliance framework replacing previous SMRs and GAECs.
- Seven specific areas covering water protection, biodiversity, landscape and heritage, soil protection, food and feed safety, animal welfare, and livestock traceability.
- The introduction of education and guidance into the FSS penalty arrangements to ensure compliance.
- Development of a penalty matrix which is more proportionate, fairer and easier to understand, which reflects the severity of the impact of any breach in standard.
- Updated penalty regime, with minimum penalties including warning letters and mandatory training, and maximum penalties of payment loss and exclusion from schemes.
- Farm Sustainability Standard breaches will range from Very Low to Very High severity. Business on their first Very Low severity breach will receive a warning letter, a Low severity breach would receive a 1% or £50 penalty (whichever is higher) and a guidance letter explaining the breach. Penalties continue upward in stages to a Very High severity breach which would receive a 50% / £2,100 penalty (whichever is higher) and a guidance letter. All businesses with a breach also have to complete training about the Standard they have breached. Penalties increase if the business breaches the same requirement within 3 years.
For further information on the standards, please visit our website.
Notes to editors:
- The overall aim of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme is to transition to a more sustainable farming sector by seeking to implement policies and strategies that benefit our climate and environment while, supporting our economically and socially significant agri-food sector. DAERA has worked extensively with stakeholders, through the Agricultural Policy Stakeholder Group, in the design of the programme.
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