The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has appealed to farmers in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) to submit outstanding annual declarations for Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS).

The latest data shows that 200 farmers have yet to lodge this information with the department.

The deadline for declarations fell on October 31, with the majority of farmers making returns by that date.

DAFM said that farmers or their ACRES advisors who have not yet submitted the required declaration should do so as soon as possible "to minimise the delay in the issue of the ACRES advance payment for 2025".

ACRES

The department has also reminded farmers that the annual declaration for the Conservation of Rare Breeds action, under ACRES, may now be completed for 2024 on the ACRES Rare Breeds online portal on the AgFood system.

All claims in respect of 2024 should be submitted as soon as possible and no later than Friday, November 15, 2025.

According to DAFM, 1,700 of these claims were outstanding on November 7.

Claims may also now be submitted in respect of the implementation of Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) approved following the first two NPIs application windows, with 1,206 claims submitted to date.

Payments

Meanwhile, a total of €664.34 million had been paid to farmers participating in ACRES by November 10.

This comprises of over €146.9 million issued in advance payments in respect of 2025, over €267.8 million for scheme participation in 2024 and over €249.5 millionfor 2023.

The department said that it is continuing to process payments on a weekly basis.