The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that additional land parcels were included in over 1,000 Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) scorecard reports.

In a statement to Agriland, a spokesperson for DAFM said: “The department is aware of an issue which has arisen with a small proportion (numbering 1,307) of the Scorecard Summary Reports that have recently issued to ACRES participants, whereby images of additional parcels were inadvertently shown on the maps and reports provided.

“It should, however, be noted that this did not impact on the relevant payment calculations,” the department spokesperson added.

ACRES is Ireland’s latest agri-environment climate initiative under the country’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan.

The €1.5 billion programme aims to combat biodiversity decline while providing income support to a target of 50,000 farm families across Ireland. 

Incorrect land parcels

The comments come following a call by The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) to immediately suspend plans to recover alleged overpayments of ACRES monies.

At the time, the farm organisation claimed that “the basis to assess these overpayments is flawed”.

The farmer representatives said that many farmers had contacted the organisation about mistakes relating to the area mapped, where farmers found that they had been given scores for lands (LPIS parcel areas) that they do not own, while missing LPIS parcel areas of their own.

Following these concerns, DAFM told Agriland that the cause of the issue has been identified and is being rectified.

“The corrected scorecard summary reports will then be made available to those affected,” the department spokesperson added.

“Participants should contact the ACRES section if they have any queries in relation to the payment calculations or the reports.”

The INHFA has claimed last week that with the habitat scores being a critical element in farmer’s overall payment, especially in ACRES Co-operation, the inclusion of incorrect land parcels and/or the exclusion of correct land parcels could have a significant bearing on a farmer’s final payment.

However, it seems that the department is now moving to allow those fears regarding payments.

ACRES payments

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.

This represents 40% of all those participants who received an interim payment and whose balancing payment has been fully processed and letters have issued.

The flat rate payment was made by the department to address concerns that delays in ACRES advance payments were causing cash flow difficulties on farms.