Ministers at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will meet farmers in the Burren to discuss their concerns about the new Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) tomorrow (Tuesday, November 22).
Some 300 farmers are currently participating in the Burren Programme, a locally led agri-environmental climate measure which will be replaced by the ACRES Burren co-operation project (CP).
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State, Pippa Hackett will meet farmers at Agriculture House in Dublin, Agriland understands.
Concerns have been raised that farmers in the region will be paid less for carrying out environmental measures under ACRES than under the Burren Programme, which started in its current form in 2016.
The programme included a “unique” results-based scoring system rewarding those farmers who deliver the highest environmental benefits, Michael Davoren of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in the Burren has said.
ACRES transition
ACRES Co-operation will be open to around 20,000 farmers in areas of the country which were deemed as being high-priority areas (CP zones), including the Burren.
Minister McConalogue said he expects the number of farmers in the region currently participating in an agri-environmental climate measure to increase by over 300% under ACRES.
A total area of just over 11,000ha of species-rich grazed habitat is scored under the Burren Programme, while under ACRES CP it is estimated that almost 40,000ha will be scored, according to the minister.
The manager of the Burren Programme, Dr. Brendan Dunford recently confirmed that himself and Sharon Parr will step down from the ACRES Burren CP over concern for some Burren farmers which they felt they “couldn’t stand over”.
Speaking in the Seanad last week, the minister said he is “working closely” with the CP team to develop a bonus structure to incentivise farmers in the region.
Agriland understands concerns in relation to another European Innovation Project (EIP), the Hen Harrier Project will also be addressed at the meeting.