ACRES: Farm measures to get 'priority access' to scheme

The Agri-Climate Rural Environmental Scheme (ACRES) formally opened for applications last week (October 19).

Many farmers are currently going through their options and considering which actions will suit them and their farming enterprise best.

Also Read: ACRES general actions: Full list and payment rates

Included in the list is a number of actions which will give farmers Priority Tier 1 access to the scheme.

Farmers who choose any one or more of these actions, where relevant to their farms, will have their application considered for Tier 1, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The actions are as follows.

1. Private Natura sites Grassland

If an applicant has at least 0.5ha of land within the Natura (SAC/SPA) mapped area in 2021, he/she may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General scheme.

To be considered for priority access in this category, one of the following actions must be selected on an area intersecting the Natura-mapped area:

Low input grassland;
Extensively grazed pasture.

2. Private Natura sites Tillage

If an applicant has at least 0.5ha of land within a Natura Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or Special Protection Area (SPA) in 2021, they may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General (ACRES) scheme.

To be considered for priority access in this category, one of the following actions must be selected on an area intersecting the Natura-mapped area:

Unharvested cereal headlands;
Winter bird food;
Environment management of arable fallow.

3. Commonage

If an applicant has at least 0.5ha of commonage land declared on the 2021 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), they may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General scheme.

4. Geese and Swans

If an applicant has at least 0.5ha of land within the Geese and Swan mapped area in 2021, they may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General scheme if they select the Geese and Swans action.

5. Breeding Waders

If an applicant has at least 0.5ha of land within the Breeding Wader hotspot mapped area in 2021, they may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General scheme.

To be considered for priority access in this category, one of the actions must be selected on an area intersecting the Breeding Wader Hotspot mapped area:

Low input grassland;
Extensively grazed pasture;
Environmental management of arable fallow.

6. Catchments identified as having High Status Water objectives

If an applicant has at least 0.5ha of land within the High-Status Water objective mapped area in 2021, they may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General Scheme.

To be considered for priority access in this category, at least one of the following actions which are deemed appropriate as identified in the Farm Sustainability Plan must be selected on an area intersecting the High-Status objective mapped area:

Riparian buffer strips or zones – grassland;
Riparian buffer strips or zones – arable;
Management of intensive grassland next to watercourse;
Planting trees in riparian buffer zones;
Planting new hedgerow;
Low input grassland;
Extensively grazed pasture;
Environmental management of arable fallow.

7. Conservation of Rare Breeds

If an applicant selects Conservation of Rare Breeds action and shows proof of membership of breed society at the time of application, they may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the General scheme.

The eligible livestock species are as follows:

Cattle	Horses and ponies	Sheep and Goatrs
Kerry	Connemara pony	Galway
Dexter	Irish Draught	Old Irish Goat
Irish Maol (or Moiled)	Kerry Bog Pony
Droimeann

The maximum number of livestock units that can be claimed annually for the cattle, sheep and goat breeds and the Kerry Bog Ponies is 20.

The maximum number of livestock units for Connemara and Irish Draught Horses that can be claimed for annually is 10.

The maximum number of livestock units for payment across all breeds is 20.

Breeding females that produce a registered offspring above the basic eligibility requirements will be paid an additional payment of €75/progeny registered up to overall maximum payment ceiling.

8.Organic Farmers

Organic Farmers can apply for the ACRES General approach under Tier 1 provided they are registered with and approved as an organic operator by one of the Organic Control Bodies.