Rate
€40 a tonne
This is a one-off payment from the €46.2 million Fertiliser Exceptional Aid Scheme, announced on 13 October. It is worked out from records the Department already holds, so there is no form for most farmers.
Quick facts
- Rate
- €40 a tonne
- Minimum
- 2.5 tonnes, and at least €100
- Maximum
- Up to 100 tonnes
- Apply
- No application for most farmers
- Records check
- Closed 23 October 2026
- Paid
- From early December 2026
Who can get it — the full rules
You must be registered on the National Fertiliser Database and have made a 2026 BISS application. The payment is based on what the database shows you bought from 15 September 2024 to 14 September 2025.
If you started farming in 2026, your purchases from 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2026 are used instead. If you retired before 2026, you do not qualify, because you must still be actively farming in 2026.
Some producers with no herd number, such as horticulture growers, may also be eligible. They must be registered as Fertiliser End Users on the database, and the Department checks each case.
How much it pays
The rate is €40 a tonne of chemical fertiliser. You need at least 2.5 tonnes on the database, and support is capped at up to 100 tonnes.
No payment issues if your amount works out at less than €100. Ground limestone and processed lime are not counted.
How to get it
Check you made a 2026 BISS application
The scheme only uses farmers who submitted a 2026 BISS application and are on the National Fertiliser Database.
Wait for the Department to use its records
Most farmers do not need to apply, because the Department uses information it already holds.
Answer any request for more information
The Department may ask new entrants and some others for more information if its records cannot settle their case.
Make sure your bank details are correct
The single payment goes to the bank account the Department holds, and keeping it correct is your job.
Contact the FEAS helpdesk with questions
Ring 053 9163425 or email feas@agriculture.gov.ie.
Things to watch
The window to check and correct your database records closed on 23 October 2026. If a purchase was missing, the fix was through the merchant who sold it, because merchants record the sales.
The €40 rate and the 100 tonne cap may still be adjusted. The Department says the final rate depends on total purchases and the money available, and the Minister will finalise the cap once totals are confirmed.
Phone, forms and how long it takes
- FEAS Helpdesk
- 053 9163425
- FEAS Helpdesk
- feas@agriculture.gov.ie
- National Fertiliser Database records (NFD Helpdesk)
- NFD@agriculture.gov.ie
From the official pages (assets.gov.ie), re-checked every night. Numbers and times can change, so check the official page before you send anything.
Common questions
Fertiliser scheme Ireland: do I need to apply?
No, for most farmers. The Department uses the National Fertiliser Database and BISS records it already holds. It may ask new entrants and some others for more information.
How much is the fertiliser scheme per tonne?
€40 a tonne, on at least 2.5 tonnes and up to 100 tonnes. No payment issues below €100.
When will the fertiliser payment be paid?
Payments are proposed to start in early December 2026, as a single payment into the bank account the Department holds for you.
Does lime count for the fertiliser scheme?
No. Ground limestone and processed lime are not included.
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fertiliser Exceptional Aid Scheme (FEAS)
- www.gov.ie: Technical note on eu fertiliser exceptional aid scheme
- www.gov.ie: Minister heydon announces 462 million fertiliser exceptional aid scheme to support farmers with rising input costs
- assets.gov.ie: Fertiliser_exceptional_aid_scheme_ _questions_and_answers_ _v2_22_oct_2026_1.pdf