An extension has been granted to the establishment deadline for catch crops for participants in tranche 1 and 2 of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
In a letter written to ACRES advisors today (Monday, September 9) the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has informed them of extensions to establishment deadlines for specific arable-based actions in the scheme.
Firstly, there has been an extension for the establishment of catch crops for participants in tranche 1 and 2 of ACRES.
This is due to the majority of spring cereal crops only approaching ripening now as a result of a delay in the spring sowing calendar earlier in the year.
Consequently, significant areas of spring crops have yet to be harvested despite approaching mid-September.
The DAFM has stated that on the back of a protracted harvest coupled with adverse weather conditions, an extension has been granted to the establishment deadline for the following actions:
- Catch crops;
- Environmental management of arable fallow (catch crop element only);
- Geese and swans – arable (catch crop element only).
The final date for establishing the catch crop in the above three actions has been
extended to Monday, September 30, 2024 for ACRES tranche 1 and tranche 2 participants.
Furthermore, there has been an extension to specific arable-based actions for tranche 2 participants.
An extension has been granted to the establishment deadline for the following arable-based actions:
- Grass margins – arable;
- Protection and maintenance of archaeological monuments – arable;
- Riparian buffer strips/zones – arable.
The final date for establishing the above three actions has been extended to September 30, 2024 for ACRES tranche 2 participants.
Both extensions outlined above apply to 2024 only.
Meanwhile, the DAFM has confirmed that to date 6,975 farmers are facing repayments under ACRES.
The department said that 1,191 ACRES General participants and 5,784 in ACRES Co-operation (CP) are in “an overpayment situation” as a result of their interim payment from earlier this year being higher than their finally calculated ACRES payment.