Farm businesses across Omagh, rural Tyrone and Northern Ireland have shown growing interest in improving biodiversity and supporting more sustainable farming practices through the 2026 Farming with Nature Transition Scheme.
Applications for the scheme closed on Friday 31 July, with more than 1,700 applications received. The combined value of applications reached £12.37 million, representing a 94% increase compared with 2025.
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the strong response, saying it demonstrated the willingness of farm businesses to take practical action to support nature while improving the long-term sustainability of their farms.
Farmers who applied to the scheme will begin receiving email notifications on the outcome of their applications in the coming weeks.
Applicants are reminded that they must not begin any proposed work until they have received formal approval from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
Successful applicants will be encouraged to move forward with their chosen actions once approval has been granted. These measures are designed to deliver environmental improvements for biodiversity, water quality and the wider countryside, while helping farms become more sustainable and resilient.
Now in its second year, the Farming with Nature Transition Scheme forms part of DAERA’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme.
The scheme allowed arable, livestock and mixed farm businesses to choose from 14 environmental actions suited to their individual land and farming activities. Eligible applicants could apply for support of up to £20,000 per farm.
Across Northern Ireland, farmers applied to carry out more than 10,000 environmental actions, including:
- 535 kilometres of new hedgerows
- More than 207 kilometres of riparian buffer strips to protect waterways
- 69 hectares of new tree planting
- 758 hectares of herbal ley
- 5,366 hectares of environmental actions on arable land
Herbal ley is a multispecies grazing mixture that can improve soil health, reduce reliance on fertilisers and support greater biodiversity.
These actions could offer important benefits for farming communities around Omagh and throughout Tyrone, where agriculture plays a central role in the local economy and the management of the rural landscape.
The scheme is currently aimed at agricultural land outside designated sites and other priority habitats or species areas. Environmental data is incorporated into the application process to reduce the risk of unintended harm to sensitive habitats and to help ensure measures are delivered where they can provide the greatest benefit.
DAERA has confirmed that the environmental data and eligibility criteria supporting the scheme will remain under review and may be refined as the Farming with Nature programme develops.
Further strands of the Farming with Nature Package are also being developed. These are expected to provide support for environmental work on agricultural land within designated sites and other priority habitat and species areas, creating additional opportunities for farm businesses in future years.
Further information is available on the Sustainable Agriculture Programme and the schemes included within the Farming with Nature Package.
