An initial check of records held by DAERA suggests approximately 2,100 farm businesses who currently receive the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) will not meet new “active farmer” eligibility rules implemented from 2025.

A new area-based farm sustainability transition payment is due to replace BPS in 2025, ahead of a full roll-out of the new farm sustainability payment in 2026.

Various changes will be implemented over the two-year period.

Ineligible

The first significant change is the new rules around activity. Farms who produced grass or grass silage for sale, or maintained land suitable for grazing or cultivation, will be ineligible to claim unless they had other agricultural activity in 2020 and/or 2021.