Farmers are permitted to mow riparian zones and margins for silage from today, Friday, August 21, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed.

The move comes "in recognition of the pressure on winter fodder arising from the prolonged period of dry weather in recent months," according to DAFM.

DAFM has confirmed to Agriland that "mowing operations are permitted on and from August 21, 2026" for a number of actions in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: "This will allow for earlier access for farmers to the off-takes from the almost 26,000ha of land covered by these ACRES actions."

This flexibility is permitted in 2026 only.

The changes to the ACRES requirements for autumn 2026 are as shown in the table below.

Participants in ACRES undertake commitments, or actions, under the scheme, with those actions designed to contribute to the overall scheme objectives.

There are a range of actions in the scheme whereby grass margins or riparian buffer zones or strips are created and maintained to contribute to biodiversity and, in the case of the riparian buffer zones/strips, to help protect water quality by intercepting the loss of sediment and nutrients from soil surfaces after they have been mobilised.

As outlined above, scheme requirements for the above actions, as stated in the specifications for these actions, include that cutting may not take place during certain periods with August 31 being the end date of that restricted period.

The flexibility being introduced for 2026 only is to permit ACRES participants with the actions listed above to mow the land under those actions earlier than the prescribed date of August 31.

Non Productive Investments in ACRES

In terms of field margins for Non-Productive Investments (NPIs), to create a grass litter layer, the requirement has been that you do not cut or graze the margin from when the margin is created by erecting the fence until August 31 the following year.

Then, in the second year after the grass margin is created, farmers must cut the margin between September and December but not below 10cm to ensure the litter layer is retained

Alternatively, margins may be managed by grazing, but this can only take place during the month of September and ensure that no poaching occurs, and the litter layer remains.

Today's changes however stipulate that where 2026 is the second year after the grass margin was created, you must cut the margin between August 21, 2026 and end of December 2026 but not below 10cm to ensure the litter layer is retained.

Alternatively, margins may be managed by grazing, but this can only take place from August 21 to the end of September 2026 and ensure that no poaching occurs, and the litter layer remains.

When it comes to riparian margin and riparian margin (sheep fencing) the requirement had been that cutting is permitted but cannot take place between March 1 and August 31.

However today DAFM confirmed that for 2026, cutting is permitted on or after August 21, 2026.

Additional reporting by Stella Meehan