Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)
Minister has provided clarity on his
plans for the Farm Support and Development Programme from 1
January 2025, with further announcements due early in the New
Year.
This Programme is fundamental in helping DAERA support farmers
and enables us to collectively achieve our environmental and
climate change goals. It provides the right support and policies
to help us move forward on a journey of change towards both
economic and environmental sustainability. This will also be a
key part of protecting water quality across Northern Ireland.
Further to the UK budget announcement from the Chancellor on 30
October 2024, the removal of earmarked status and lack of
multi-year of funding from HM Treasury post 31 March 2025 has
created a degree of uncertainty.
Clarifying his plans, Minister Muir said: “I understand
the concerns and high level of uncertainty for our farmers at
this time of unprecedented change. The overall budget position
for agriculture, agri-environment, fisheries and rural
development for the 2025/2026 year has not yet been formally
confirmed as the draft budget process has not yet been
completed.
“It is important that we continue on the journey of
transitional change we embarked upon this year. Now more than
ever, I wish to provide as much certainty as I can to farm
businesses, whilst addressing the multiple challenges, such as
reducing carbon, improving animal health and enhancing our
environment. That is why I have decided to introduce the new Farm
Sustainability Transition Payment (FSTP) on 1 January 2025, with
minimal changes, retaining the minimum claim size at 3 ha and
introducing the historic years exercise as part of the Farm
Sustainability Payment from 2026.
“I am pleased that the Beef Carbon Reduction (BCR) Scheme
is already delivering emission reductions above that projected in
Year 1. From January 2025, the second year of the BCR Scheme will
commence, to continue to incentivise farm businesses to reduce
the slaughter age of clean beef animals to a maximum age at
slaughter of 28 months.”
Addressing the Suckler Cow Scheme, the Minister said:
“Subject to budget and legislation, it is also my
intention to bring forward the new Suckler Cow Scheme from 1
April 2025. Whilst this very short delay on the opening of this
scheme will have a small impact on the reduction of overall
emissions, this will be mitigated by driving further uptake of
the BCR Scheme and provide additional time to communicate and
prepare farm businesses to avail of the Suckler Cow
Scheme.
“A programme of communications will commence early next
year to provide information and knowledge on how to achieve the
age at first calving targets and calving interval, in order to
maximise level of uptake.”
The Minister further outlined his plans for Farming with Nature:
“The Farming with Nature Package is one of my key
priorities and will support farmers and land managers to make
substantial contributions to environmental improvements and
sustainability. The initial focus is on habitats on farmed land
across Northern Ireland.
“I plan to launch the Farming with Nature Transition
Package in Spring 2025. A number of options are planned to
increase biodiversity and improve habitat connectivity including
planting of new hedgerows, creating riparian buffer strips and
establishing farmland trees. Future expansion and roll out of
full Farming with Nature Scheme Package will occur in early
2026.”
Concluding, Minister Muir said: “I hope this announcement
will provide clarity and stability for farm businesses at this
time. It is my intention to provide further details on my plans
for the Farm Support and Development Programme early in the New
Year when I will launch a full programme of communications for
the year ahead.”
Notes to editors:
- DAERA's new transformational Farm Support and Development
Programme is being co-designed with the Northern Ireland
agricultural industry and other key food and environmental
stakeholders.
- The overall aim is to transition to a more sustainable
farming sector by seeking to implement policies and strategies
that benefit Northern Ireland's climate and environment, while
supporting its economically and socially significant agriculture
sector.
- The Farm Support and Development Programme is currently
funded from the HMT earmarked budget for agriculture,
agri-environment and wider rural economy. Funding is confirmed
until 31 March 2025.
- The decision has been made for funding for farming and
fishing to no longer be ring-fenced and has been baselined within
the Resource DEL allocation to be provided to the Executive from
2025-26. Decisions on the levels of funding to be provided for
agriculture and fisheries are now fully devolved and will be
taken as part of the Executive's Budget 2025-26 exercise.
- Further information on Farm Support and Development Programme
can be found at: http://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/landing-pages/farm-support-and-development
