The recent Budget 2025 announcement from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has delivered a major boost for data-driven, sustainable farming in Ireland.

We are thrilled to see the government's strong commitment to the National Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme, which has been extended with funding for a potential 40,000 additional soil samples.

This is a powerful endorsement of the programme's success and its critical importance to Irish agriculture.

Building on a Landmark Project

This new funding builds on the initial, and already historic, tranche of 90,000 samples. This expansion will bring the total number of samples taken across the country to 130,000, creating one of the most comprehensive soil health databases in Europe.

As the chosen farm mapping and soil sampling software partner for the Irish Soil Experts Consortium (ISEC), Livefarm is proud to be the digital backbone of this national endeavour. Our platform was built to manage this data at scale, and this extension is a fantastic validation of the programme's success and the robustness of its technical infrastructure.

What This Means for Irish Farmers

More samples mean more data. More data means smarter decisions.

This extension provides tens of thousands more farmers with the opportunity to get a highly detailed, subsidised analysis of their soil's health. This data is the essential starting point for:

• Precision Nutrient Management: Optimising fertiliser use to save money and improve efficiency.
• Environmental Targets: Helping farmers meet water quality and emissions goals.
• Long-Term Sustainability: Ensuring soil is managed for maximum health and productivity for generations to come.

Livefarm: Ready for the Next Phase

We are delighted to see this significant investment from DAFM. It signals a clear understanding that high-quality, farm-level data is the key to a profitable and sustainable future.

The Livefarm platform is ready to scale up to support ISEC and the programme's samplers in processing these 40,000 additional samples. We are honoured to continue our role in this vital project, providing the powerful mapping and data management tools needed to get the job done.

We look forward to supporting Irish farmers as this landmark programme enters its next exciting phase.

‍