The Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that there are an estimated 28,500 participants “still to be registered” for an Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) training course.
DAFM has also warned that some farmers could potentially see their ACRES payments delayed from next January if they fail to attend the “core requirement” course.
Farmers who are in ACRES (Tranche 1) must attend a single, compulsory ACRES training course in the first year of their participation of the scheme.
Each ACRES participant who “satisfactorily attends” the training course gets €156.
A voluntary course can also be undertaken by ACRES farmers in the third year of their participation in the scheme.
The training courses are organised and delivered by ACRES trainers approved by DAFM – of which there are currently 514.
Trainers get paid a fee of €90 for each farmer who attends the course.
In a statement issued to Agriland the department outlined that some of the outstanding 28,500 ACRES participants who are yet to register “will be attending the 304 courses currently being arranged”.
DAFM added that it was one of the “core requirements for farmers participating in ACRES to attend a training course”
“This is to facilitate knowledge transfer and acquisition of information on specific actions, complemented by on-line demonstrations, advice on good environmental practices.
“As they have until December 31, 2023 to complete the course, non-attendance at an ACRES training course will not impact the making of advance payments to ACRES participants in November 2023.
“Payments will not be made from January 1, 2024 to an ACRES participant until such time as they have satisfactorily attended the mandatory ACRES training course,” DAFM also stated.
According to latest documentation submitted to DAFM a total of 16,020 farmers have participated in the compulsory ACRES course.
DAFM added: “The department understands that training has also been provided to a further 1,389 participants in recent days, in respect of whom documentation is awaited”.
Meanwhile the department has also confirmed that it is currently following up with farm advisors on any technical issues arising on scorecards yet to be submitted under ACRES.
The submission rate of completed scorecards received by DAFM is now above 98% of applications.