The Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI) was created on 1st April 2006 as an amalgamation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Science Service and the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland (ARINI). AFBI is a DARD Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB).

AFBI carries out high technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for DARD and other Government departments, public bodies and commercial companies.

DAERA recognises the importance of research in helping us achieve our strategic goals and objectives. We have a long history of funding and carrying out research within the areas of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food. Much of our sponsored research has been translated into practical applications on farm, food processing and other rural businesses.

We have also invested substantially in research to help shape government policy on agri-food issues which has helped develop this important sector.

The Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland (LMC) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body, which was established by Statute (The Livestock Marketing Commission Act [Northern Ireland] 1967) to assist the development of the livestock and livestock products industries. LMC’s sponsor body is the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). LMC collects statutory levies from beef and sheep producers and slaughterers in Northern Ireland and in return provides a range of services to the industry. LMC also advises DARD on matters relating to the sector.

Founded in 1918, the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) is the largest democratic voluntary organisation representing farmers and growers in Northern Ireland. It's central objective is to promote their interests both at home and abroad through professional lobbying.

Today, the UFU has over 11,500 members. Members are supported by 25 regional offices and headquarters building in Belfast. The Union's commercial subsidiary, Countryside Services Ltd, is located in Dungannon.

COWS aims to provide the best available, evidence-based information to the cattle industry in relation to the sustainable control of parasites in cattle.

The initiative’s original scope was to provide the best available technical information to vets, advisors and farmers about the sustainable management of worms and fluke in both beef and dairy cattle.

SCOPS is an industry led group that works in the interest of the UK sheep industry. It recognises that, left unchecked, anthelmintic resistance is one of the biggest challenges to the future health and profitability of the sector. 

SCOPS is funded by nine organisations that sit on the Steering Group - Agrisearch, AHDA, AHDB Beef & Lamb, AMTRA, HCC, NOAH, NFU, NSA and QMS.

CIEL works to identify key challenges to the UK’s farmed animal industries and provide world-leading, applied solutions through a research base of 12 leading UK academic institutions.

CIEL has helped to co-fund the development of new research facilities which were designed to bridge the gap between basic academic research and commercial products, utilising a range of projects, from small, pilot-scale experiments through to commercial-scale trials.

 The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) offers full-time and part-time courses to educate new entrants and support staff working within the agri-food and rural sectors to improve business efficiency.

CAFRE is delivering an exciting new scheme called European Innovation Partnership (EIP). It is designed to bring people together to help Northern Ireland's farmers innovate and address the opportunities and challenges of a fast-moving world.

Over the course of 5 years, the Super-G consortium is aiming to co-develop sustainable
permanent grassland systems and policies with a range of stakeholders, including farmers, advisers and policy makers.

The British Society of Animal Science is a charity that works with science and industry specialists to improve the understanding of all aspects of animal science and to ensure research and knowledge transfer has a practical and beneficial application.

Accelerating Ruminant Carbon Zero(ARCZero) is a European Innovation Partnership project made up of a co-operative of 7 farms in Northern Ireland. It seeks to measure and manage carbon flows at the individual farm level to empower farmers to make positive change towards carbon zero farming.