The Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that approval letters are being issued to more than 2,300 Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) Co-operation applicants.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said today (Friday, April 12) that following confirmation last month that all “valid applications” for tranche two of ACRES would be accepted, letters were now being dispatched.
Minister Charlie McConalogue added: “As the priority is for farmers to know as soon as possible whether their application has been accepted, the notification will be available on AgFood accounts in the first instance today, with formal letters to follow shortly.
“Approvals in respect of valid applications for the ACRES General approach are expected to commence in the coming days.”
ACRES is the Government’s flagship agri-environmental scheme, with an allocation of €1.5 billion over the period to 2027.
Last year more than 46,000 farmers were admitted under tranche one of the scheme.
ACRES
According to the minister the issuing of approvals for tranche two will bring the total number of farmers participating in the environmental scheme to 55,000.
“This represents a 10% increase in the level of participation over what was originally envisaged, which is an immensely positive reflection of the level of farmer interest in agri-environmental and climate measures, and will, for example, mean that an additional area of approximately 100,000 hectares will be brought into meaningful environmental action,” Minister McConalogue added.
In relation to the ACRES Co-operation approvals the minister said that the next step in the process is the assignment of scorecards – by the ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) Teams in their respective zones – to enable the scoring of lands by advisors during the summer months.
Minister McConalogue added: “While the participants themselves are responsible for the management of lands and the delivery of actions under ACRES, CP Teams and agricultural advisors play key roles in the implementation of the scheme, and I look forward to their continued contribution to the successful delivery of ACRES.”