The “considerable” level of interest in the new Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), which attracted 46,000 applicants, should warrant an extension to the scheme, according to the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA).
The ACA today (Wednesday, December 14) called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to extend the number of places available in Tranche 1 of ACRES to ensure that every farmer who successfully applied to the scheme gets a place.
The scheme currently has funding under Budget 2023 allocations for just 30,000 places.
ACRES applications
Applications for the €1.5 billion scheme could only be submitted on behalf of farmers by an approved agricultural advisor. The ACA has estimated that in the region of 70% of applications to ACRES and the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) were submitted through its members.
The ACA has welcomed what it described as the “strong level of interest” in ACRES – which will replace the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) – but it now wants Minister Charlie McConalogue to secure additional funding for the scheme to ensure that all farmers can participate on it.
Noel Feeney, ACA president, said he believes it is important that the minister finds the means to support farmers who are keen to have sustainable programmes on their farms.
He said the association wants an “urgent review” of the scheme to ensure all farmers who have applied to ACRES are accommodated.
“It has been an exceptionally busy number of months for our members assisting farmer clients and there were considerable pressures and demands on their services.
“It is not surprising that so many farmers wish to avail of this scheme but disappointing that over a third will not be allocated funding in this round.
“Delays to supporting these farmers in their sustainable farming goals is counterproductive, and we’re urging the minister to review the scheme to ensure all who wish to avail can do so,” Feeney said.
He said the organisation has supported both ACRES and the OFS which ACA anticipates has attracted 2,000 applications from farmers.
According to Feeney the volume of applications for both ACRES (Tranche 1) and OFS reflect a “considerable interest among farmers for agri-environment actions and sustainable programmes on their farms”.
“It would be a retrograde decision if all farmer applications to ACRES cannot be accommodated when the selection process commences.
“The huge demand shows that farmers are up for the climate action challenges and if our sector is serious about its commitments, then a way to support all initial Tranche 1 farmers must be found,” Feeny added.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine told the Dáil yesterday (Tuesday, December 13) that he was exploring how all 46,000 applications could join Tranche 1 of ACRES.