Home | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Home | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Translation help
Translate this page
Select a language
Arabic —
عربي
Chinese (Simplified) —
中文简体
Chinese (Traditional) —
中文繁體
Dutch —
Nederlands
Filipino —
Filipino
French —
German —
Hungarian —
Magyar
Irish —
Gaeilge
Italian —
Italiano
Latvian —
Latviešu
Lithuanian —
Lietuvių kalba
Polish —
Polski
Portuguese —
Português
Romanian —
Română
Russian —
Русский
Slovak —
Slovenčina
Spanish —
Ukrainian —
Українська
Welcome to Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Featured
Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released April 26
23 April 2026
Provisional Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics for October to December...
DAERA publishes first Peatland Strategy Delivery Plan for Northern Ireland
22 April 2026
The first Peatland Strategy Delivery Plan for Northern Ireland has been published by the Department of Agriculture...
Statement from DAERA Minister following talks with Isle of Man government on NI fishing crew rights
15 April 2026
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister for Northern Ireland, Andrew Muir, has met with Isle of Man...
Quick links
Bluetongue Situation Northern Ireland
Customer Portal
Avian Influenza
Exports Live Animals/Animal Products and DECS
DAERA online services
Grants and Funding
Moving Animals and Goods to Northern Ireland
Sustainable Agriculture Programme
Beef Sustainability Package – Beef Carbon Reduction and Suckler Cow Schemes
Our responsibilities
Actions to Protect our Environment
What we can do together to protect our environment including the Environmental Improvement Plan
Animal Health, Welfare and Trade
Information about diseases, disease control and prevention, welfare of farmed and non-farmed animals, trade, importing and exporting animals and authorisation of PVPs for these official activities.
Biodiversity
Protecting and preserving Northern Ireland's wildlife and habitats from invasive alien species and other environmental threats.
Climate Change
Climate Change is the issue of our time. DAERA and the Northern Ireland Executive are working in partnership with local councils, businesses and organisations to help tackle this issue. As part of our commitment to tackling climate change, we need to meet the Net Zero targets by 2050 as set out in the Climate Change Act NI 2022.
Angling and Commercial Fishing (Inland Fisheries)
Inland Fisheries is responsible for developing angling and commercial fishing policy in relation to the conservation, protection, development, and improvement of Salmon and Inland Fisheries in Northern Ireland.
Countryside Management and Managing your Business
Information on agri-environment schemes, water quality, renewable energy and employing people on your farm.
COVID-19
Pages relating to the departments response to COVID-19
Crops and Horticulture
Information on areas of crop growing and horticulture including combinable crops, potatoes, fruits and vegetables, seeds and nursery stock.
Education and Research
Education and training courses for the land-based and food industries and development programmes.
Environmental Advice for Planning
DAERA has a role in development management and responds to development proposals where there is potential for impacts on the natural and marine environments and fisheries interests.
Sustainable Agriculture Programme
A New Programme of Farm Support
Fisheries
Sea fisheries, aquaculture and fish health policy in Northern Ireland.
Food
Meat inspection, milk and milk products, personal food imports, egg packers
Forestry
Forestry education, forest industry, forestry and the environment, forest planning.Contact the NI Forest ServiceInformation on plant and tree healthUK Forestry Standard
Grants and Funding
DAERA offers a wide range of grants and funding to support local farming, fisheries, rural business, communities and environmental NGOs.
Green Growth
Green Growth means using the move from a high to a low greenhouse gas emissions society to improve people’s quality of life through green jobs and a clean environment. DAERA has been leading the development of the Green Growth Strategy, on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive. The Green Growth Strategy will set a high-level vision to ensure future government policy making has climate, environment and a green economy at its core.
Land and Landscapes
Information on land quality and soil as well as details on the geology of Northern Ireland's distinctive and precious landscapes.
Livestock Farming
Information on key areas of livestock farming including dairy, beef, sheep, pigs, poultry and grass.
Local Authority Official Certification
Information for Food Competent Certifying Officers regarding official certification of fish, fish products, composite products (containing egg and or fish) and egg products.
Marine
Protecting Northern Ireland's coastal and marine environment via legislation, licensing and permits and conservation activities
Moving Animals and Goods to Northern Ireland
If you or your business move live animals and certain products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland there are certain requirements you need to adhere to.
Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS)
NIFAIS, the Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System, will be a new flexible and innovative IT system that supports efficient and effective delivery of current and future food animal information services.
Plant and Tree Health
Pests and diseases, pesticides, plant passporting, imports and exports, surveys and compliance.
Pollution
Activities undertaken to prevent, monitor and control pollution of the air, land and water.
Resource & Waste Policy
DAERA and NIEA have responsibility in NI for making sure waste and resources are managed in a sustainable and safe way. This page is intended to be a “one stop shop” for any queries you have on waste policy (including legislation and regulation).
Environmental Reporting
Environmental Reporting
Rural Affairs
Scheme delivery and development of future rural policy.
Statistics
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs provides a range of statistics covering agriculture, environment, rural communities, animal health, fisheries, food and forestry in Northern Ireland.
Sustainability
Information relating to sustainable development and prosperity agreements.
Water
Protecting the aquatic environment by regulating water quality and hydrological processes whilst considering the needs of industry, agriculture and the protection of public health.
Windsor Framework Implementation
The Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 came into force on 12 April 2024. The Regulations confer powers upon the Secretary of State in relation to Articles 5-7 and Annex 2 of the Windsor Framework, however, the UK Government has committed to exercising these powers only to the extent necessary to support the operation of the Windsor Framework, including relevant commitments of the Safeguarding the Union command paper.
Agricultural & Environmental Schemes
The Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs offers several payments to farm businesses based on the land that they farm, or actions they take on their land. These payments are called Agricultural & Environmental Schemes and have replaced ‘Area-based Schemes’.
We work with these bodies
College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI)
Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC)
Loughs Agency
Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority
Farm safety (HSENI)
Northern Ireland Environment Link
NIEA Net Regs
Our documents
Our publications
Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics October to December 2025
Published
23 April 2026
DAERA/26-28 - Since February requests copies of any correspondence from DAERA and Environment Agency surrounding the ReGen waste plant in Newry and the smell plaguing Warrenpoint.
Published
23 April 2026
DAERA/26-266 - Information regarding any contracts with the software company Palantir, the value of them and the start/end dates of them.
Published
23 April 2026
See all our publications
Our consultations
From Waste to Worth: Northern Ireland Waste Prevention Programme
Closes 10 July 2026
UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Treatment of sustainable aviation fuel
Closes 15 June 2026
UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Regulating cross-boundary CCS pipelines
Closes 04 June 2026
See all our consultations
Access to information
How to request information from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs including
Freedom of Information (FOI), Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs)
and the use of our
Publication Scheme
The Minister
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir MLA
Andrew Muir MLA is Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and Alliance Party MLA for North Down.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has responsibility for food, farming, environmental, fisheries, forestry and sustainability policy and the development of the rural sector in Northern Ireland.
Read more about the department
Corporate information
Forest Service
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Finance and Strategy
DAERA's Equality Scheme
Departmental social media policy
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Subsidy Payments
Jubilee House
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Jubilee House
111 Ballykelly Road
Ballykelly
Limavady
BT49 9HP
Clare House
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Clare House
303 Airport Road West
Belfast BT3 9ED
Lisburn
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
17 Antrim Road
Tonagh
Lisburn
BT28 3AL
DAERA helpline numbers
Customer Service
You can telephone our offices between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. The opening times of our public offices are displayed on the
DAERA Direct Regional offices
page. Our offices are closed on most bank holidays and public holidays. Different opening hours apply to our public facilities such as forest and country parks, and information is available locally and on our website. Please note that it is not possible to see members of the public at DAERA Headquarters in Clare House/Jubilee House/Lisburn without a pre-arranged appointment.
Seeing Callers
Officials will make every effort to meet with you at your nearest public office.
If you have a pre-arranged appointment, we aim to see you within 10 minutes of the agreed time. If we have to cancel an appointment, we will explain why, give you as much notice as possible and arrange a new time to suit you.
If you have not made an appointment with us, we aim to see you within 15 minutes of your arrival. If you are waiting longer, we will explain why and keep you informed. A queuing system may be introduced in our public offices at busy periods.
See all contacts