Protein crops such as beans and peas are supported under Northern Ireland’s Protein Aid Scheme
Northern Ireland growers face a 2027 planning headache as uncertainty hangs over the future of the Protein Aid Scheme.
The current programme supports crops including beans, peas and lupins, but arrangements beyond the 2026 growing season have yet to be confirmed.
The Department of Agriculture (DAERA) is reviewing the scheme, with previous indications that the assessment will consider its environmental impact and whether a wider range of crops could qualify under any future measure.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is now pressing the department for an early decision, arguing that growers need certainty as they begin making cropping plans for 2027.
According to DAERA figures cited by the union, the area grown under the scheme has increased substantially in recent years.
The UFU believes that growth reflects increased farmer interest in producing protein crops domestically.
Deputy president Clement Lynch said: “Many growers are now beginning to make cropping plans for 2027 and beyond. However, there remains a lack of certainty regarding whether a successor scheme will be available after the current programme ends in 2026.”
He added: “Farmers need that information as soon as possible to make informed business decisions.”
The scheme has encouraged production of beans, peas and lupins as potential alternatives to imported protein feed.
The UFU also points to rotational and environmental benefits from such crops, including nitrogen fixation, soil improvement and biodiversity.
“Protein crops play an important role in crop rotations. They help improve soil structure, contribute to nitrogen fixation, support biodiversity and can reduce the need for imported feed ingredients,” Lynch said.
The potential impact extends beyond arable businesses because Northern Ireland’s livestock sector also uses protein feed.
The union argues that greater domestic production could reduce reliance on imported ingredients while giving growers another option within their rotations.
However, the immediate question for farmers is whether financial support will still be available when the current scheme finishes.
DAERA’s review is expected to consider both the performance of the existing measure and the possibility of expanding eligibility in any successor arrangement.
The UFU wants the department to provide an update on that work before growers commit to their 2027 plans.
Lynch said: “We are urging the Minister and DAERA officials to provide an update on the review process and set out their intentions for 2027 at the earliest opportunity.”
The union has also called for the scheme to continue and potentially expand, although any decision on future support will rest with DAERA following the review.
For growers, the timing of that decision is becoming increasingly important as choices over rotations, seed and other inputs for 2027 approach.