Consultation on a proposal to introduce a protein crops payment pilot scheme in Northern Ireland 2021

Overview

This consultation document seeks your views on the proposal to introduce a Protein Crops Payment Pilot Scheme in 2021.

Protein crop production (peas, beans and sweet lupins) has traditionally been very limited in Northern Ireland. These crops are grown primarily to provide a break in cereal crop rotations which can have the effect of reducing soil borne cereal disease burdens and increasing soil nitrogen levels.

Northern Ireland is currently almost totally dependent on imported soya and other proteins in the manufacture of animal feed. In 2019, the use of soya alone in feedstuffs manufacture was 369,000 tonnes and adding other high protein animal feeds brings this total to over half a million tonnes. A Protein Crops Payment Pilot Scheme is proposed to be introduced in the context of Northern Ireland’s continued dependence on imported plant protein and will also encourage best practice in crop rotation, pest management and crop diversity.