Farmers should not be penalised for the late submission of scorecards under the new Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane has said.
The party’s spokesperson for agriculture is calling on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to confirm that farmers’ payments will not be impacted where advisors submit the scorecards, required under the scheme, after the deadline.
“It is really concerning that farmers will be penalised should their planner, whom they have to pay themselves, fail to submit their ACRES scorecards on time.
“I have been contacted by farmers in ACRES Co-operation zones who are now worried that, should there be a delay, they will face penalties, including financial penalties and exclusion from other scheme measures.
“Given the level of demand for the scheme and the pressure planners will be under, it would not be surprising if these predicted delays do occur,” she said.
ACRES
Deputy Kerrane recently raised the matter with Minister McConalogue in a parliamentary question.
In response the minister said land covered by the results-based scheme will be scored over the summer months by approved ACRES advisors, who have completed the mandatory in-field scorecard training.
McConalogue said that without the scores being provided, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) cannot make payments to the participating farmers in the autumn.
“To facilitate in-field scoring and submission of scorecards in respect of relevant parcels, my department has developed the AgriSnap app which is live and available for use and scores are now starting to be submitted.
“All relevant parcels must be scored and submitted by August 31, 2023. This deadline is to allow us to make payments to farmers by November and my aim is that as many farmers as possible can be paid then,” he said.
Scorecards
However, Deputy Kerrane said the response gave no indication that the minister intends to provide flexibility for farmers or additional resources to address the time pressures facing advisors.
“It is really disappointing that the alarm has been sounded on this issue and apparently no action will be taken.
“This is not the way to start off a new scheme that the minister himself describes as ‘Ireland’s flagship agri-environment scheme’.
“Farmers have bought in, they applied to this scheme in huge numbers and now before it is even up and running, one of the first messages to farmers is if your planner is late in submitting your scorecard, you will suffer the consequences,” she said.
“Farmers have proven in the demand for ACRES that they are ready, willing and able to engage in environmental schemes, this is a very bad start.
“The department of agriculture need to be fairer to farmers and where issues are raised, they need to responsive and be willing to make changes to assist farmers, especially at the start of a new scheme.
“I am calling on the minister to take penalties off the table when it comes to this issue,” the Sinn Féin TD added.