Around 500 Northern Irish farmers are expected to get the go ahead for environmental farming projects as part of a £14m government fund.
The fifth round of DAERA’s Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) will support farmers to undertake measures to help climate change mitigation.
The voluntary scheme, which has issued a total of £63m to date, allows applicants to choose from a range of options to create environmental benefit on their farms.
The fifth intake includes a range of arable options designed to enhance the biodiversity value of farms with minimal impact on cropping rotations or management.
Some 500 farmers across Northern Ireland will be given the green light before the Christmas period to start their projects, the department said.
NI's Minister for Agriculture, Edwin Poots said: “The EFS is an important but voluntary scheme which supports farmers to maintain biodiversity and improve water quality through a range of options.
“We are confident that most farmers who applied for EFS Wider Tranche 5, and provided the required information, can expect to receive their offers before the Christmas holidays.
"They will then have 21 days to confirm their acceptance of the five year agreement. The rest will be released in January 2022."
For queries on EFS agreements, farmers should contact the DAERA Helpline number 0300 200 7848, or email efs@daera-ni.gov.uk.
