The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the “only show in town”, according to Teagasc adviser James Doran.

Speaking at a Teagasc seminar in Wexford, he said all farmers “should absolutely look at the scheme”.

Doran’s points were reiterated by Teagasc head of drystock knowledge transfer Pearse Kelly, who said given current farm input costs, “you’d be crazy not to look at ACRES and to look at every possible measure that’s going to make you a little bit of money”.

Kelly said “a lot of people are getting hung up on some of the measures” but claimed that despite these fears, the scheme is a “no-brainer” unless farmers can see input costs dropping significantly.

However, both parties agreed with farmers present that the scheme is not as suitable for a “typical grass-only heavily stocked farm” because it involves “going against the grain” to sacrifice land for environmental measures over production.