The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) has been slammed as creating confusion and uncertainty by farm organisations.

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) warned that the scheme has “created a good deal of confusion with many farmers reluctant to join” and said there is “uncertainty around what payment they can expect due to this being a result-based payment”.

Addressing the Oireachtas agriculture committee on Wednesday, INHFA president Vincent Roddy said the payment rates available to farmers for ACRES measures, especially in the ‘general’ approach, “are not attractive enough to encourage farmers to consider joining”.

INHFA president Vincent Roddy. \ Philip Doyle

The Irish Farmers Journal has revealed that the deadline for ACRES applications has been extended until 5 December following concerns over the pressures facing farmers and their advisers to get applications in before the original 21 November deadline.

There are 30,000 spaces available for farmers in ACRES in 2023. However, 20,000 are likely to be unable to enter the scheme next year.

Commonage

Vincent Roddy also told TDs and senators that the requirement for ‘commonage collective agreements’ for ACRES is creating an “excessive administrative burden and an unnecessary barrier to entry”.

“For farmers on commonage lands this is compounded, as they are not the only farmers on the land and [are] dependent on others to help deliver a good score,” he said.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) also attended Wednesday’s agriculture committee meeting on farm schemes.

Its president Pat McCormack said that “little effort has been made to make [ACRES] appealing or workable for dairy farmers”.

He said this has resulted in “the very farms that can make a considerable contribution to Government policy” being “effectively excluded from the scheme”.

Additional places

The Tipperary dairy farmer called for an additional 15,000 places for farmers in ACRES to support existing numbers already in environmental schemes.

“With 50,000 in GLAS and 5,000 in REAP and with both schemes ending at the end of this year, there is going to be 5,000 existing agri-environment participants with no access to an agri-environment scheme in 2023. Therefore, the capacity for ACRES needs to be upgraded to 65,000,” he said.

ICMSA president Pat McCormack. \ Philip Doyle

McCormack also suggested that the “payment rates under ACRES are inadequate”.

“Farmers on average will receive less under ACRES in 2023 than they did under REPS 1 in the 1990s and this is simply unacceptable.

"The Government needs to properly acknowledge the efforts of farmers with realistic payment levels that increase in line with inflation.”

New entrants

One of Macra’s main concerns relating to the scheme is what its president John Keane described as the exclusion of “18 months of new entrants”.

He explained to the Oireachtas agriculture committee that “in order to be eligible to apply for ACRES”, a farmer must have submitted a valid BPS 2021 application.

Macra president John Keane. \ Philip Doyle

“This essentially removes the option for any new entrant post the close of BPS applications in 2021, which was 9 June, to apply for ACRES.

"Given that the scheme is going live from 1 January 2023, the Department have excluded 18 months of new entrants from accessing the scheme.

“Macra regards this as gross unfairness and is unjustified when research is considered around the propensity of young farmers to adopt new technologies and practices on farm,” Keane said.

Farm income

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) highlighted that “participation in an agri-environment scheme is essential”, particularly for farmers in “vulnerable sectors”.

IFA deputy president Brian Rushe described how average payments for such schemes in 2021 “amounted to approximately €4,000 in additional farm income”.

Emphasising the importance of continuing this payment, Rushe said that “one of the biggest issues with [ACRES] is the real possibility that farmers do not gain access in year one”.

IFA deputy president Brian Rushe.

“There is no rollover of GLAS or REAP confirmed. If there is a lag between GLAS or REAP and ACRES due to the tranche-based approach and limited places, farmers will be left out of an agri-environment scheme for a year, causing a gap year in payments.

“This poses a real threat to on-farm incomes – particularly among the most vulnerable farm sectors”, he warned.

Bridging payment

The IFA deputy president suggested that a “bridging payment” be offered to farmers who are not successful in joining the initial tranche one of ACRES.

He said this could also involve “paying an upfront ACRES payment in 2023 for tranche two participants, similar to the way REPS payments were in the past”.

“It is vital that no farmer who wishes to participate in ACRES is without an environmental scheme payment for 2023.”

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) president Dermot Kelleher said his association is disappointed with the “lack of ambition” in ACRES.

He pointed out that “REPS paid many farmers more than the maximum of €7,300” 20 years ago and said that the “cost structure was totally different to today”.

ICSA president Dermot Kelleher. \ Philip Doyle

“Having listened to fine words about the green deal and the constant demands for more action on climate and biodiversity, it is hard to reconcile the reality that ACRES does not compare favourably with off-farm work.

"It is not remotely comparable as an option to getting into dairy farming for those with the right farms,” the Cork farmer said.

Read more

ACRES deadline extended

Public accounts committee ‘concerned’ over ACRES funding