Technical Notice: Update for participants in Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES)

The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine wishes to advise farmers who are participating in the Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) of the following:

1. Deadline for submission of claims in respect of implementation of approved Non-Productive Investments

Participants in the Co-operation approach of ACRES are reminded that:

• the deadline for submission of payment claims in respect of the implementation of Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) approved in their 2023 Annual Works Plans (AWP) is 31 March 2026;
• only one payment claim may be submitted for each AWP, and
• all actions must be fully completed in line with specifications before the payment claim is submitted.

They are also reminded that the deadline for submission of payment claims in respect of the implementation of NPIs approved in their 2024 AWP remains 31 December 2026.

An NPI Question and Answer document and a recording of a webinar by the Department on the submission of such claims is available on the Department’s website to address any queries about making such a claim. Queries in relation to NPIs may also be emailed to ACRESNPI@agriculture.gov.ie

2. Applications may now be submitted for Landscape Actions

Participants in the Co-operation approach of ACRES are advised that:

• Applications may now be submitted for landscape actions, which are complementary environmental actions available to ACRES Co-operation participants. These actions are to support farmers in the Co-operation approach of the Scheme to target specific environmental priorities, with the actions focussing on issues such as threatened species, water quality protection, invasive species management and encroaching scrub management in species-rich grassland.
• The ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) Teams play a key role in the efficient and effective targeting of Landscape Actions at landscape level in their respective ACRES Co-operation zones and ACRES Co-operation participants are therefore encouraged to engage with their ACRES CP Team to explore the opportunities available to them as regards appropriate landscape actions for their holding.
• Applications for landscape actions (in the form of a Landscape Action Annual Works Plan) are submitted to the Department by the ACRES CP Teams on behalf of participants in their respective zones.
• Information on the Landscape Actions available under the ACRES Co-operation approach is available on the Department’s website at ACRES Landscape Actions