What is the Farming with Nature (FWN) scheme?

The Farming with Nature (FWN) scheme is a new program set to replace the existing Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) in Northern Ireland, with the goal of supporting nature-friendly practices on farms.

Home / Environment / Farmers Await Clarity on Nature-Friendly Scheme as Transition Looms

Farmers Await Clarity on Nature-Friendly Scheme as Transition Looms

Q: How has farmer Jack Kelly been helping barn owls on his farm?

Jack Kelly, a farmer in Ballyalton, County Down, has spent the last decade working to bring barn owls back to his 90-acre farm. He has used EFS funding to provide nesting boxes and create habitat for the red-listed species, and his efforts have resulted in the birds on his farm producing three chicks every year for the past three years.

Q: How has the transition to the new FWN scheme affected farmers like Samantha McCarroll?

Farmers like Samantha McCarroll, who used EFS funding to help restore peatland and increase biodiversity on her farm, are now left in a state of uncertainty as they wait for the full implementation of the new FWN scheme. The delay in the transition has created a "gap" that is making it difficult for farmers to continue their conservation efforts.

5 Oct

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Summary

Farmers left "in limbo" as new Farming with Nature scheme delays
Farmer Jack Kelly has spent a decade restoring barn owl habitat
Peatland restoration project faces uncertainty due to scheme changes

Farmers Await Clarity on Nature-Friendly Scheme as Transition Looms

As of October 5th, 2025, farmers in Northern Ireland are in a state of uncertainty as they wait for the full implementation of a new scheme that aims to support nature-friendly practices on their farms. The Farming with Nature (FWN) scheme is set to replace the existing Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS), but so far, only a limited transitional program focused on habitat restoration has been introduced.

This delay has left farmers like Jack Kelly, who has spent the last decade working to bring barn owls back to his 90-acre farm in Ballyalton, County Down, in a state of limbo. Kelly has used EFS funding to provide nesting boxes and create habitat for the red-listed species, and his efforts have paid off, with the birds on his farm producing three chicks every year for the past three years.