Don’t miss out: Final call for farmers to secure Year 1 Suckler Cow Scheme Payment
Date published:
DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir has urged eligible farm businesses to opt in for the Suckler Cow Scheme with the end of Year 1 deadline fast approaching on 31 March 2026.
The Suckler Cow Scheme forms part of the Beef Sustainability Package within the Sustainable Agriculture Programme. The Suckler Cow Scheme aims to encourage farm businesses to improve breeding management practices to increase the percentage of eligible calving events that achieve a reduced age at first calving and a reduced calving interval over a four-year phased implementation period. The Beef Sustainability Package can deliver 25% of the greenhouse gas reductions from agriculture by 2027, if the uptake levels and targets of the Schemes within the Package are met.
Minister Muir said: “I strongly encourage all farm businesses who have yet to opt in to the Suckler Cow Scheme to do so by 31 March, to secure payment for animals eligible during the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. My Department stands ready to provide information and support about the scheme or the opt-in process.
“This Scheme plays an important role in supporting our farm businesses on a journey of change, ensuring both environmental and economic sustainability.”
To date just over 2,000 eligible businesses have yet to opt in. To be eligible, farm businesses with suckler cows must have claimed and be eligible for the Farm Sustainability Transition Payment in 2025. A payment rate of £100 will be made for each eligible calving event. A Northern Ireland quantitative limit of 222,000 calving events will apply in each Scheme year.
Eligible farm businesses need only opt in once to participate in the Suckler Cow Scheme and can do so from: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/how-do-i-opt-sc-scheme. Farm businesses can opt in at any time. However, a business must have opted in between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 to receive payment for the first year of the Scheme. If farm businesses opt in and do not have any eligible calving events in that Scheme year, no penalties will apply.
Full details of the Scheme, including farm business, animal and calving event eligibility criteria are available to view on the Department’s website.
A video providing step by step instructions on how to opt in is available on the DAERA website.
If farmers require further help or guidance with an application, they should email: AgriculturalandEnvironmentalSchemes@daera-ni.gov.uk or call DAERA’s Payment Delivery Branch on 0300 200 7848.
Notifications regarding opt-in and payments will issue electronically by DAERA messaging. To receive notifications by e-mail and view payment details online, farm businesses must register with either Northern Ireland Identity Assurance (NIDA) or Government Gateway for a DAERA online account. Registration for a DAERA online account can be completed at: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera-online-services.
Notes to editors:
- Payments are capped at a maximum of 222,000 calving events per Scheme year.
- Applicants to the Suckler Cow Scheme will receive confirmation from DAERA that their opt-in is complete via DAERA messaging.
- Opting into the Suckler Cow Scheme uses the same online portal that is available for the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme.
- Registration for a DAERA online account can be completed at DAERA Online Services: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera-online-services or call 0300 200 7840 for support to get registered, and ask to speak to Customer Services Branch.
- The SC Scheme is part of DAERA’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme, more details on this can be found on the DAERA website.
- For Scheme information and support contact Payment Delivery Branch by email: AgriculturalandEnvironmentalSchemes@daera-ni.gov.uk or call 0300 200 7848 Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00pm.
- An Agent or trusted person can be nominated by farmers to complete the application on their behalf. Agent Nomination can be completed online at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera-customer-portal.
- This is a digital only Scheme. Customers are advised that anyone in the farm business who has a DAERA online account and nominated agents can log in to view details of payment.
- Follow DAERA on X formerly called Twitter and Facebook.
- All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or telephone: 028 9016 3460.
- The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours’ service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.