Environmental Farming Scheme applicants must complete their claim confirmation now

The EFS Claim Confirmation service was introduced in 2022 to assist new agreement holders to make accurate claims.

Farmers who accepted a Tranche 5 agreement in 2022 and submitted a year 1 claim using the Single Application Service this year, must submit a Claim Confirmation online between 1 December 2022 and midnight 3 January 2023.

Failure to submit a Claim Confirmation will mean you will not be paid and your EFS Tranche 5 agreement will be cancelled.

Claim Confirmations must be submitted online at www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera-online-services.

New EFS Agreement Holders must also complete their online training by 31 December 2022. Information on how to complete online training is available at:https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/online-training-efs-agreements-guidance-documents.

EFS offers participants a 5-year agreement to deliver a range of environmental measures and has three levels.

These are: a higher level, primarily for environmentally designated sites and other priority habitats; a wider level to deliver benefits across the countryside, outside of environmentally designated areas and a group level to support co-operative action by farmers in specific areas such as a river catchment.

EFS is part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The scheme is voluntary in nature and was established to supports farmers and land managers in carrying out environmentally beneficial farming practices on agricultural land. The aims of the Scheme are to: restore, preserve and enhance biodiversity; improve water management and water quality; reduce soil erosion and improve soil management; foster carbon conservation and sequestration in agriculture and to reduce greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from agriculture.