AgriSearch is to seek enhanced funding levels courtesy of the levies paid by dairy, beef and lamb farmers in Northern Ireland.

The body, which was established in 1997, plays a key role in delivering production-focussed research projects.

The organisation’s strategy manager, Jason Rankin, commented: “We are at early stage of an engagement process with the various stakeholder bodies.

"Our levy system is voluntary in nature - it is in no way statutory.”

AgriSearch total levy income currently amounts to £400,000 per annum. The objective is to secure a doubling of this figure during the period ahead.

Rankin said: “Analysis confirms that the work carried out under the aegis of the various AgriSearch projects completed over the past two decades has delivered some £70 million in terms of added value to agriculture in Northern Ireland.”

According to the organisation’s strategy manager, it is no coincidence that the timing of the push to secure enhanced levy income on the part of AgriSearch coincides with a period of very healthy dairy, beef and lamb farm gate returns.

Rankin explained: “We have identified key dairy, beef and lamb-based research priorities for the future. It is important that these plans are properly funded.

“Making this happen will require the active support of milk, beef and sheep farmers.”

There has also been a very positive response generated at farm level across Northern Ireland to the work carried out by AgriSearch in determining the negative impact of the original Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) proposals, published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) earlier this year.

The final report produced on the issue pointed to annual supply chain losses in the order of £1.56 billion per year.

The publication also concluded that the original NAP proposals, if implemented, would jeopardise future farm resilience in Northern Ireland across the board.

Significantly, AgriSearch has not been included within the grouping of organisations included within the NAP stakeholder forum, appointed by Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir.

However, the organisation will be consulted, as required, to deliver input on matters of a technical nature.

Meanwhile, GrassCheck is one of the key technical services delivered by AgriSearch. The results generated by the programme over recent weeks have confirmed that 2025 has been a very good grass growing year.

Rankin said: “We now know that grass production and quality indices are both up, year-on-year.

“This bodes well for both the availability and quality of silage that has been made on farms across Northern Ireland in 2025.”