Over 46,000 farmers have been accepted into the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) after Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced that space has been found for all valid applications.

Farmers are now expected to draw down a combined €266.6m in payments this year and €1.33bn over the scheme’s five-year duration.

Farmers who applied as individuals can claim up to €7,300 for each year of the scheme, with payments expected to average around €5,000 per year.

Farmers who applied under the co-operation stream, mainly those in western counties, can receive yearly payments as high as €10,500. The average is expected to be €7,000 per year.

Forty percent of all farmers applied through co-operation, with significant numbers in counties Kerry, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Cork and Clare entering through this stream.

Fears

It had been feared that as many as 16,000 farmers could be left without a place in ACRES as the scheme had been designed for only 30,000 farmers to enter this year.

Minister McConalogue said farmers had shown their desire to enhance the sustainability of their farms and he wanted to “harness that enthusiasm and deliver the maximum possible environmental benefit”.

He said that it would require intensive effort from the Department, advisers, co-operation project teams and farmers to make it work.

Confirmation letters are expected to be issued to farmers this week.