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Environmental Farming Scheme

  • Farmland

  • Food production
  • Management
  • Northern Ireland

Summary

The fund offers participants a 5-year agreement to deliver a range of environmental measures and has three levels: 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; a Group Level to support co-operative action by farmers in specific areas such as a river catchment.

Fund manager & award size

DAERA

The award depends on the specific case. Check the payment rates from the scheme guide. EFS provides financial support based on costs incurred and income foregone. In the majority of EFS Options the payment rate reflects 100% of costs incurred and income foregone for the establishment and annual recurring maintenance. See the fund website for additional details.

Eligibilty

The applicant must have management control for the full duration of the EFS agreement (with minor exception- see the Terms and Conditions of the scheme for further details). In almost all circumstances, only the person actively farming the land and claiming other area-based payments will be eligible to apply to the EFS. See the fund website for additional details.

How to apply

See the fund website for guidance.

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Application deadline

The scheme is active but not always open for applications. See the fund website for updates.

Last reviewed

12/07/2023


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