Green Business priorities are moving closer to the operational core of Northern Ireland’s farming sector following the appointment of Countryside Services Ltd. to deliver key knowledge transfer elements of the Farming for Sustainability Scheme.

The appointment positions Countryside Services as a delivery partner to the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), providing face-to-face training and peer-to-peer group facilitation to farm businesses across Northern Ireland.

The initiative reinforces sustainability not as a compliance exercise, but as a commercial capability tied directly to productivity, resilience and future income support.

The first phase of training will focus on the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme. Completion of this training has become a prerequisite for farmers seeking to access future Farm Sustainability Payments, embedding environmental performance directly into the business economics of agriculture.

Albert Johnston, head of Knowledge Advisory Service at CAFRE, said the partnership is designed to deliver practical outcomes for farm enterprises.

“The appointment of Countryside Services will help ensure farmers have timely, practical and accessible training that supports productivity, environmental outcomes and resilience across the sector," he said.

Training will be delivered through a mix of in-person sessions and online options, allowing flexibility for farm operators managing seasonal and operational pressures.

CAFRE and Countryside Services will publish updated training dates and venues across the province, supporting broad participation as sustainability-linked requirements expand.

From a Green Business perspective, the scheme reflects a wider policy shift. Environmental performance, soil health and nutrient management are being positioned as core drivers of efficiency, risk management and long-term value creation rather than additional regulatory burdens.

Explore how sustainability-linked training is reshaping farm economics in the full article.