Farmers in Northern Ireland are being advised to familiarise themselves with the new Farm Sustainability Standards (FSS) which come into effect from January 1, 2026.

The new FSS and their underpinning requirements were developed under the Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP) , to maintain eligibility for Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) and other agricultural schemes.

Basically, Farm Sustainability Standards are the standard practices expected to be met by farm businesses in return for subsidy support.

The standards aim to promote good farm management practices and encourage responsible stewardship. They apply for the whole calendar year to all land and animals within a farm business, including rented and common grazing land.

FSS applies to multiple schemes including: the Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme; Protein Crop Scheme; Farming with Nature Package; Environmental Farming Scheme; Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme; Suckler Cow Scheme; and relevant Forestry Schemes.

The key support available on the website includes the FSS underpinning requirements document and a short overview video setting out the seven standards.

For more detailed information regarding the standards and their underpinning requirements, and to ensure preparedness for upcoming changes, farmers are advised to visit the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) website.

The overall aim of the SAP is to transition to a more sustainable farming sector by seeking to implement policies and strategies that benefit the climate and environment while, supporting the agri-food sector.

DAERA said it has worked extensively with stakeholders, through the Agricultural Policy Stakeholder Group, in the design of the programme.

Farm Sustainability Standards inspections

Farm Sustainability Standards inspections check that farmers are complying with rules and regulations across different areas of the business.

Inspectors check that farmers are meeting all standards set out in legislation for:

FSS1 – Protection of Waters from Pollution;
FSS2 – Protection of Habitats and Biodiversity;
FSS3 – Protection of Landscape, Archaeological and Heritage Features;
FSS4 – Protection of Soils;
FSS5 – Food and Feed, Herd and Flock Health and Biosecurity;
FSS6 – Welfare and Protection of Farmed Livestock (including Transport);
FSS7 – Livestock Identification and Traceability.

Upon arriving at a farm, an inspector, where possible, will explain the purpose of their visit, the reason for the inspection and how the inspection will be carried out.

They will explain what they need from the farmer and how long they expect the inspection to take and will take the appropriate measures to avoid the spread of disease when entering and leaving a property.

During inspections the inspector will check that the requirements of the Farm Sustainability Standards are being met. This can involve visually checking land, physically checking animals and examining records.

For livestock inspections farmers should ensure that official ear tags are present and correct. Farmers should also be prepared to present animals and make sure that facilities for handling livestock are suitable and well maintained.