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Applications for the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) were received from 89% of eligible farmers in zone one of the project, DAERA has confirmed.
A department spokesperson said the total applications received equates to 91.55% of the eligible land area in zone one, which covers most of counties Down and Armagh.
The deadline for applications was extended from 8 July to 31 August after an initial low uptake of the scheme.
The £45m soil testing project will give participants details of the soil nutrient status of their land, as well as an estimate of overall carbon stocks on their farm.
Participation in SNHS is a requirement for claiming future farm payments and all farms in NI have been divided into four zones as part of a phased rollout of the scheme.
Soil sampling will be carried out in zone one this winter and farms in the southwest will be sampled during the winter of 2023/24. The northwest will be covered in 2024/25 and the northeast will be the last zone sampled during 2025/26.
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