Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has announced an extension for farmers wishing to submit an application for phase two of the Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme.

The deadline for submitting applications is now Friday 10 November 2023, 10 days on from the original 30 October deadline.

The programme is described by the Department of Agriculture as a farm-level soil sampling and analysis initiative, which will provide farmers and their advisers with comprehensive details about the nutrient status, carbon status and indicators of soil health on their farms.

Targeted management

The results can be used to target soil management and farming practices to achieve economic and environmental sustainability on their farms.

Information collected through the programme will also enable better monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at national and regional level.

The programme aims to take 90,000 soil samples from farms all over the country.

Applications can be made through www.agfood.ie.