Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2022
710. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is possible for additional measures to be provided through ACRES for farmers on free-draining land who are limited by the current options provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60181/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027.
There are two approaches available to farmers under ACRES, namely the ACRES General approach or the ACRES Co-operation approach depending on the location of their holding, with the eligibility for each outlined in the Scheme Terms and Conditions available on the Department’s website at gov.ie - Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) (www.gov.ie).
Land included in the ACRES Co-operation approach falls within eight identified zones, which comprise of high nature value farmlands.
The approaches, and the options available under each, have been designed to address a range of objectives and it is considered that there is a wide range of actions from which a farmer may choose.
The ACRES Co-operation is mainly a result-based programme, so forage parcels located in the Co-operation Project (CP) zone can be scored using habitat scorecards and a payment rate will apply depending on the score.
Once the land has been scored there will be an opportunity to select appropriate actions. There is a maximum result-based core payment of €7,000 each year, with up to €3,500 also available each year by the selection of voluntary supporting actions (non-productive investments or landscape actions) within the respective co-operation area.
Where the participant does not reach the maximum core payment of €7,000 they can make up the shortfall by applying for Non-Productive Investments (NPI) and/or Landscape Actions.
There will be a list of approximately 50 Non-Productive Investments that will be available to participants. Farmers in the CP zone have the flexibility to select NPIs and/or landscape actions each year.
The ACRES General approach is similar to the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) which was available under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, in that there is a list of actions the farmer can select with their advisor, the satisfactory completion of which makes him/her eligible for payment under the ACRES General approach.
The maximum annual payment under the ACRES General approach is €7,311. A list of the specifications for all of the ACRES General actions may be viewed on my Department’s website at the above address. While it is not possible at this stage to add more actions to that list, there are actions currently available within this approach that would suit free draining land for both tillage and grassland parcels.
The application process involves the submission of a Farm Sustainability Plan which will guide the ACRES advisor to identify the most appropriate action for the parcel of land and to advise the farmer accordingly.
