Some 46,000 farmers have signed up to the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), the Department of Agriculture has confirmed.
The figure equates to 34% of the 135,037 farms in Ireland, meaning more than one in every three farms has signed up to invest in and further environmental measures through the scheme.
The application number surged in the final days before the application deadline, Wednesday 7 December 2022.
Funding
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has previously announced that there would be funding under the ACRES scheme for 30,000 farmers in the first intake for 2023, meaning that if more funding is not provided, as many as 16,000 farmers could be excluded.
However, funding for a further 20,000 applicant farmers is to be provided for farmers under the second tranche next year, the Minister confirmed. Therefore, and overall, initial provisions were made for 50,000 farmers to enter the agri-climate scheme.
More than one in every three farmers has signed up in to invest in and further environmental improvement measures on their farms.
The news that 46,000 farmers have applied in the first tranche means that that figure has already almost been reached. It remains to be seen how many of the 46,000 will now be included in this initial tranche.
The oversubscription is set to slow down the department’s processing of applications with each applicant’s priority ranking, based off the nature and extent of the environmental measures they’ve signed up to, now having a crucial role.
IFA response
Meanwhile, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has called on Minister McConalogue to find funding for all ACRES applicants to be included in the scheme for 2023.
IFA’s rural development committee chair Michael Biggins said: “At a time when we have so much emphasis on climate and biodiversity, it would be a huge own goal by the Government to exclude farmers from the scheme for 2023.
“The scheme is disappointing in many aspects and has frustrated farmers. However, most had no option but to apply for the scheme to avoid a significant cut in their incomes.”
Biggins suggested that the volume of applications highlights how dependent farmers are on environmental schemes for their incomes. He said that it also shows the commitment of farmers to improving the environmental and economic sustainability of their farming enterprises.
“However, the scheme is now oversubscribed and if the Minister doesn’t address this, thousands of farmers will suffer income losses in 2023. Planners must also be acknowledged for their efforts in getting plans drawn up and submitted for farmers during this tight timeframe,” he said.
Read more
ACRES applications surge over 35,000
Some 46,000 farmers have signed up to the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), the Department of Agriculture has confirmed.
The figure equates to 34% of the 135,037 farms in Ireland, meaning more than one in every three farms has signed up to invest in and further environmental measures through the scheme.
The application number surged in the final days before the application deadline, Wednesday 7 December 2022.
Funding
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has previously announced that there would be funding under the ACRES scheme for 30,000 farmers in the first intake for 2023, meaning that if more funding is not provided, as many as 16,000 farmers could be excluded.
However, funding for a further 20,000 applicant farmers is to be provided for farmers under the second tranche next year, the Minister confirmed. Therefore, and overall, initial provisions were made for 50,000 farmers to enter the agri-climate scheme.
More than one in every three farmers has signed up in to invest in and further environmental improvement measures on their farms.
The news that 46,000 farmers have applied in the first tranche means that that figure has already almost been reached. It remains to be seen how many of the 46,000 will now be included in this initial tranche.
The oversubscription is set to slow down the department’s processing of applications with each applicant’s priority ranking, based off the nature and extent of the environmental measures they’ve signed up to, now having a crucial role.
IFA response
Meanwhile, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has called on Minister McConalogue to find funding for all ACRES applicants to be included in the scheme for 2023.
IFA’s rural development committee chair Michael Biggins said: “At a time when we have so much emphasis on climate and biodiversity, it would be a huge own goal by the Government to exclude farmers from the scheme for 2023.
“The scheme is disappointing in many aspects and has frustrated farmers. However, most had no option but to apply for the scheme to avoid a significant cut in their incomes.”
Biggins suggested that the volume of applications highlights how dependent farmers are on environmental schemes for their incomes. He said that it also shows the commitment of farmers to improving the environmental and economic sustainability of their farming enterprises.
“However, the scheme is now oversubscribed and if the Minister doesn’t address this, thousands of farmers will suffer income losses in 2023. Planners must also be acknowledged for their efforts in getting plans drawn up and submitted for farmers during this tight timeframe,” he said.
Read more
ACRES applications surge over 35,000
SHARING OPTIONS