Around half of Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) scorecards have been submitted ahead of the upcoming deadline, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed.

The department has issued a reminder to ACRES-approved advisors that the final date for submission of completed scorecards is Monday, August 31, 2026.

The department noted that "completed scorecards are being submitted on an ongoing basis", with just under 54% submitted to date.

ACRES

The assessment and scoring of lands for the results-based payments under the scheme is currently underway.

Scorecards were issued to advisors at the start of June.

The department said that any scorecards that remain outstanding after the deadline may impact on the issuing of the 2026 ACRES advance payments later this year.

Advisors have been reminded that once an ACRES scorecard has been submitted in full, it will not be possible to make further changes.

"It is therefore essential that advisors are fully satisfied that scorecards are correct at the time of submission," the department said.

DAFM

The circular noted that "any change in the name of the farmer or legal status which transfers control of the holding to which the ACRES contract relates to a new entity requires prior approval from the ACRES section of the department for the transfer of the contract".

Further information on transferring an ACRES contract can be found on the DAFM website.

The department said where there is a change in the contract ownership, or an intention to apply for a transfer of the ACRES contract (e.g. where participant has died or a change to a farm partnership), the assessment of the lands must still be undertaken.

The circular also stated that in instances where it is not possible for health and safety reasons to access a parcel for scoring (for example, in the case of Islands with no ferry service), details of these cases can be emailed to the department.

The email subject line should clearly state ‘Access issues due to Health and Safety Reasons’.

The following details must also be included in the email:

Business ID of ACRES participant;
ACRES approach (ACRES Co-operation or ACRES General);
Parcel number;
Scorecard type;
Field identifier (for ACRES Co-operation);
Health and safety issue/reason why parcel cannot be accessed.

Where the department is notified of these cases before the submission deadline and is satisfied that the field(s) are inaccessible for health and safety reasons, no penalty will be applied for the non-submission of these scorecards.

However, where no scorecard is submitted for a parcel, this parcel will be ineligible for a results-based payment in ACRES.