Soil Nutrient Health Scheme Zone 3 uptake

The Agri-food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) has confirmed registration for Zone 3 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) closed at the start of September with a final registration of 138,248 fields from 5927 farm businesses. This represented 90% of fields in Zone 3 which is in line with uptake in previous zones. Zone 3 mainly covers Co Derry/Londonderry and Co Tyrone (N).

Soil sample collection for the £37M DAERA funded scheme managed by AFBI is due to commence in Zone 3 from November 2024 until March 2025 and this will also include a ‘mop-up’ of any remaining farms located in the preceding Zones 1 and 2 who have since registered online.

Alex Higgins, Senior Scientist at AFBI commented: “There are currently soil sample collection routes being planned for the registered fields in Zone 3.  The majority of fields will be sampled from November onward, but where early sampling has been requested AFBI’s soil collection contractor, RPS Group, will prioritise those from mid-September on”.  

Zone 3 Next Steps

All Zone 3 farmers will be contacted in advance of sampling by RPS Group in the coming weeks where there will be the opportunity for farmers to inform the sampling team of any fields with late slurry/manure applications.

Alex Higgins, Senior Scientist at AFBI added: “Once the fields have been sampled farmers can expect to receive their soil sample analysis results and recommendations direct from the soil analysis contractor, NRM, within 4-6 weeks. They will subsequently be provided with access to their map-based soil nutrient results and runoff risk maps through the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme Application in their DAERA Government Gateway account. Estimates of carbon in soil and above ground biomass will be made available later in 2025/26.   

CAFRE will be in contact after field sampling to advise on how the farmers can receive training on interpreting their soil analysis results and to understand carbon estimates within their farm. 

The AFBI SNHS Admin team can be contacted on 02890 255212 , email at SNHS@afbini.gov.uk or for more information  

Notes to editors: 

SNHS is one of the most comprehensive regional soil nutrient sampling schemes to be undertaken anywhere in the world. It will enable Northern Ireland farmers to optimise crop nutrient applications, assess on-farm carbon stocks and build farm resilience.
 

1. Registrations to Zone 1 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme opened in May to September 2022. Zone 2 opened in June to August 2023 with over 90% uptake in both zones.
2. Zone 1 covers County Down and parts of Counties Antrim and Armagh and Zone 2 covers Fermanagh, the west of County Armagh and South Tyrone and opened for registrations in June 2023 with over 90% uptake.
3. Zone 4 (North East) will follow in 2025/26.
4. The roll-out of the SNHS scheme continues with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) working closely with the contractors for the soil collection (RPS Group), and analysis (Cawood/NRM).  

Share this page