As the Deputy is aware the Agri-Climate Environment Scheme (ACRES) is Ireland’s flagship agri-environment scheme under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027. It will pay farmers €1.5 billion over its lifetime. This is the largest sum ever committed to an agri-environment scheme. A key feature of ACRES is the introduction of a results-based system agri-environmental scheme that rewards farmers for committed environmental effort by linking payments to the quality of environmental outcomes delivered.
Over 46,000 farmers applied to join the Scheme and I was pleased to approve entry to the Scheme to all those that qualified. Every participant has received their approval letters and approval summaries, along with the Farmland Plant Identification Key.
These lands with result-based actions (be that in ACRES general or ACRES Co-operation) will be scored over the summer months, by approved ACRES advisors, who have completed the mandatory in-field scorecard training. This was the commitment from the advisors and the farmer when submitting the application. Without these scores my Department cannot make payments in the Autumn. To facilitate in-field scoring and submission of scorecards in respect of relevant parcels, my Department has developed the AgriSnap app which is live and available for use and scores are now starting to be submitted.
All relevant parcels must be scored and submitted by 31st August 2023. This deadline is to allow us to make payments to farmers by November and my aim is that as many farmers as possible can be paid then.
