Grant or payment · Northern Ireland
Farming with Nature Higher Scheme 2027
Interim invite-only scheme to keep favourable management of high-value farmland in designated sites and priority habitats between agri-environment schemes.
- From
- DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
- How much
- Rates are set out in the FwNH 2027 payment table on the DAERA website; payments for FwNH 2027 issue in summer 2028.
- Who can apply
- By invitation only: existing FwN Higher agreement holders and EFS Higher Tranche 5 agreement holders.
- Opens
- 19 October 2026
- Closes
- 30 October 2026
What you’ll need
- DAERA Category 1 Farm Business ID
- Government Gateway or NI Direct (NIDA) login for DAERA Online Services
- DAERA invitation letter
How to apply
- Apply on DAERA Online Services before 5pm on Friday 30 October 2026
- Read the Terms and Conditions and the Remedial Management Option information sheets
Amount unclear: the payment rates are published as an image table that could not be read as text. FwNH 2026 agreements (1 September to 31 December 2026) are paid pro rata in summer 2027.
Similar schemes
- Suckler Cow Scheme OpenDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) · Closes 31 March 2027Payment for suckler calvings that meet targets for age at first calving and calving interval. Part of the Beef Sustainability Package.
- Beef Carbon Reduction (BCR) Scheme Open all yearDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)Annual payment for clean beef cattle, born and bred in Northern Ireland and registered on NIFAIS, slaughtered at or below a falling maximum age. Part of the Beef Sustainability Package.
- CAFRE Themed Groups (B.E.E.F. finishing and suckler cow fertility) Open all yearCAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise), part of DAERAShort-term CAFRE groups with mentoring, peer learning and KPIs, linked to the Beef Carbon Reduction and Suckler Cow schemes.
- Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) 2027 Coming soonDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) · Closes 15 May 2027The second year of the Farm Sustainability Payment, claimed on the 2027 Single Application.
- Farming with Nature Landscape Projects Scheme Coming soonDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) · Closes 4 December 2026Funding for groups of farmers and partners to deliver landscape-scale habitat and biodiversity projects that cannot be done on a single farm.
- Farming with Nature Protected Habitats and Species Scheme Coming soonDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)Planned targeted agri-environment scheme for farmers managing designated sites and other priority habitats and species.
Checked against the official pages on 29 October 2026. Sources: 1, 2, 3. Always read the official page before you apply.