Soil Nutrient Health Scheme Zone 3 uptake

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”.

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 (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.