The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has confirmed that 80 farmers successfully applied for the first year of Northern Ireland’s Protein Crop Payment Pilot Scheme. The support measure will continue into 2022. According to CAFRE’s head of dairy, pigs, poultry and crops, Don Morrow, a total of 679.92ha have been accepted for the scheme this year. It provides support at a level of £330/ha, bringing the total payments to farmers up to £224,578. The eligible crop breakdown for 2021 is as follows: spring beans- 593.17ha; spring peas – 47.233ha; winter beans – 23.17ha; spring sweet lupins – 15.7ha.