The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is aiming to increase the number of approved advisors for the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
The department has invited newly approved and existing Farm Advisory System (FAS) advisors to apply for training to become a certified advisor for the agri-environmental scheme.
Those who want to attend the training taking place at the end of the month in Portlaoise must complete and return an application form to the department’s ACRES section by next Friday (February 9).
One of the core requirements of ACRES is that an approved agricultural advisor must prepare the scheme application, including the Farm Sustainability Plan (FSP), on behalf of farmers.
The department said that this is “to ensure that the most suitable and appropriate actions for the farm are selected and submitted”.
Although both tranche 1 and 2 of ACRES are now closed for applications, DAFM noted that approved advisors will support farmers throughout their contract term in relation to completing required actions.
In the case of farmers in the ACRES Co-operation approach, the advisors will liaise with the CP teams to support farmers
ACRES
Meanwhile, the department has said that an IT issue in the ACRES system has now been resolved.
Since the beginning of the year, scheme participants or their advisor were unable to input their
Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) details for that action under the scheme.
DAFM said that advance payments for 2023 cannot be issued to participants whose contracts include the LESS action until the details are entered on the system.
“The department wishes to inform you that the LESS input portal has now been reopened
for the submission of the Annual Declaration for Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS)
2023,” the department told advisors in a recent circular.
Any farmers or advisors who still experience issues with inputting LESS details are being urged to immediately contact the department.