Active 'Zone 3' Registration Open

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme continues to roll out across Northern Ireland with ‘Zone 3’ now open for registration in Co Derry/Londonderry and North Co Tyrone. All farm businesses in Zone 3 are encouraged to apply using their Government Gateway account.

The next phase of the DAERA funded Soil Nutrient Health Scheme opened for registration on 24 June 2024 in Zone 3 and it will provide farmers with vital, detailed information on managing soil nutrients and carbon on their farms.  This will help them to optimize the application of crop nutrients, improve farm profitability while reducing the potential for nutrient loss to the environment.

Pieter-Jan Schön the Head of the Environment and Marine Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), said: “We have seen excellent uptake for Zones 1 and 2 at over 90% in each zone and we anticipate a comparable response rate by 31 August, the closing date for applications in Zone 3.  We encourage farmers to register early to take advantage of all the benefits this valuable Scheme provides”. 

Farmers who are eligible to apply will have received a letter of invitation and guidance from AFBI on the straightforward process to register their fields, which must be completed online via their Government Gateway account. Alternatively, farmers can register by contacting their local DAERA Direct office requesting digital assistance or through an authorized agent.

The soil sampling contractors – RPS Group - will make contact and arrange for sampling, typically, between November and February. The samples are then sent off for analysis to NRM Laboratories and reports are sent out to farmers within 4-6 weeks following sampling.

This free service will provide participating farmers with:

1. Detailed information on the nutrient status of their soils
2. Runoff risk maps for nutrient loss to waterbodies for each field sampled
3. Estimates of carbon stored in their soils and as above ground biomass for each farm
4. Training on the interpretation of soil nutrient reports and generation of farm nutrient plans (via the training provided by CAFRE).

Dr Rachel Cassidy the Project Scientific Lead at AFBI commented “We are pleased to report that to date over 300,000 soil samples have been taken and reported on in Zones 1 and 2.
Over 12,000 farmers have received their soil reports by post and email, and in addition they can access their farm results and nutrient-loss risk maps via the Map Viewer accessible through their Government Gateway accounts”. 

Farmers have also been availing of the CAFRE training which helps farm businesses understand the findings and recommendations which will assist in the development of Nutrient Management Planning.  Dr Steven Johnston (CAFRE) outlined the training provided:

“The aim of the training is to help farmers understand and interpret the information contained within their soil analysis reports and explain the role of carbon on farms. This training will also provide support in creating a Nutrient Management Plan to allow farmers to make best use of organic manures and fertiliser to benefit their business and protect the environment”.

Participation in the SNHS is a condition for the receipt of the new Farm Sustainability and Farming with Nature Payments, this requires both registering for SNHS and completing the training being offered by CAFRE at www.cafre.ac.uk/snhs-training Failure to complete both elements may affect future payments.

The AFBI SNHS Admin team can be contacted on:
02890 255212or email at SNHS@afbini.gov.uk  

Dr Rachel Cassidy encourages Zone 3 farmers to register 


 

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. Farmers in Zones 1 and 2 who have not yet registered can apply from 24 June to 31 August 2024.
5. Registration is through DAERA online services using a Government Gateway Account at: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/onlineservices
6. 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).  

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