Legislation should be in place from 23 October 2025, which will allow the Department to make payments to farmers participating in innovation schemes coming as part of the new Sustainable Agriculture Programme.

Three new innovation schemes are proposed, including setting up a network of innovation farms to replace the Technology Demonstration Farm (TDF) initiative.

Briefing the Stormont Agriculture committee last Thursday, Alan Galbraith from DAERA said the aim of the new scheme is to facilitate groups of farmers to visit host farms in NI and “experience innovation” which has not been widely adopted.

ADVERTISEMENT

When compared to the TDF programme, he said the new scheme will be “enhanced” by bringing the host farmers together into a group supported by CAFRE technologists.

“It is also proposed that farmers who visit the innovation farms will be provided with an increased level of support from CAFRE to implement what they see on the host farms, if it is appropriate to their needs,” he said.

The aim is to have a network of 50 innovation farms in place by the end of the five-year programme.

Payment

Host farmers will continue to receive a payment of £786 to compensate for their time on the day and that spent preparing for the visit.

It was put to officials by Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen, that this hosting payment might not be enough, given the preparation time involved. Responding, Nigel Murphy from CAFRE said the payment was originally calculated for the Focus Farm scheme and has been adjusted for inflation since then.

“There are quite detailed calculations sitting behind the original figures,” he said.

International visits

The second new scheme proposed is a replacement for the Farm Innovation Visits programme which allowed farmers from NI to view farms in Britain and Europe.

The new international innovation visits scheme has a wider scope, with travel potentially possible to anywhere in the world to explore innovations that cannot be found in NI.

“All the trips will be organised by CAFRE. The costs associated with travel outside of NI and accommodation, will be paid for,” confirmed Galbraith.

Over the next five years, CAFRE hope to facilitate ten visits per year, involving 15 farmers per trip.

Farmers who participate will be supported by CAFRE technologists to assess “the opportunities and barriers” in implementing the new innovation on their own farms, said Galbraith.

The final scheme proposed is new innovation partnerships involving groups of farmers working together and linking up with industry experts and academics, to solve issues or problems.

“They will receive up to £150,000 to investigate their issue and will have access to a further fund of £40,000 per group for potential capital works,” said Galbraith.

It is proposed to have 35 partnerships in place over the next five-year period.