Last chance for farm businesses to sign up to Soil Nutrient Health Scheme
Date published:
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is reopening the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme for a final mop-up phase this summer.
Eligible farm businesses in operation on or before 8 September 2025 may register once the Scheme opens for online registrations.
Announcing the reopening of the scheme, Minister Muir said: “It is encouraging that over 90% of all farm businesses in Northern Ireland have already signed up for the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme.
“This groundbreaking initiative provides farmers with individualised, farm nutrient and carbon data that is incredibly useful for effective land management. That’s why I have decided to make one final opportunity available for remaining businesses to register for the scheme.
“Registering for the scheme and completing the associated training is a conditionality of the Farm Sustainability Payment, so I would encourage those farm businesses which haven’t already done so, to sign up for this final opportunity.”
Registration is a straightforward online process accessed through your Government Gateway account. Farm businesses eligible to register during the mop-up phase will be contacted by Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in advance of opening with details about how to register online. A further announcement will be made in due course, detailing the opening period for online registrations.
Notes to editors:
- Registrations to Zone 1 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (County Down and parts of Counties Antrim and Armagh) opened from May to September 2022.
- Zone 2 (Fermanagh, the west of County Armagh and South Tyrone) opened from June to August 2023.
- Zone 3 (North Tyrone Co Derry/Londonderry) opened from June to August 2024.
- Zone 4 (Co Antrim) opened June to 8 September 2025.
- Scheme closed from 9 September 2025. 92.5% of eligible farm businesses had registered by close.
- The mop-up phase is opening to farm businesses in operation on or before 8 September 2025, which have not yet registered for the SNHS, one final opportunity to do so.
- For farm businesses in operation on or before 8 September 2025, registering for the SNHS and completing associated CAFRE training is a conditionality of the Farm Sustainability Payment.
- SNHS training is available through CAFRE at: www.cafre.ac.uk/snhs-training.
- Registration is through DAERA online services using a Government Gateway Account at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera-online-services.
- The AFBI SNHS Admin team can be contacted on 028 9025 5212 or via email at: SNHS@afbini.gov.uk.
- 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.