The claims system for ACRES farmers, who are carrying out non-productive investments (NPIs), will open this Thursday, 17 July.

NPIs are complementary actions available under the ACRES Co-operation approach that support farmers to take a tailored approach to benefitting nature on their farms, and are a unique feature of ACRES.

Claims for payment for farmers taking part in ACRES Co-operation may now be submitted in respect of both 2023 and 2024.

Almost 4,300 farmers received approval for actions in the 2023 scheme year, and this increased to approximately 4,800 in 2024.

Making the announcement, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said: “Farmers may lodge their own claims or engage an adviser to do so. These actions are an integral element of ACRES, supporting farmers to enhance environmental outcomes on their holdings, thereby increasing their ACRES payments.”

Application window

The third application window will open later this quarter and the minister has encouraged farmers to continue to avail of the funding available to them through NPIs.

"Farmers in ACRES, and particularly those in high-priority geographical areas, have consistently shown their commitment to environmental protection and enhancement. I am greatly encouraged by the level of interest shown by participants in availing of these actions which, when complete, will improve biodiversity, protect endangered species, and improve water quality.

The most popular actions include the installation of gates to prevent over- and under-grazing, the provision of boxes to provide nesting sites for threatened species such as barn owls or kestrels, and the installation of water troughs which assist watercourse protection along with providing drinking points for livestock.

The closing date for submission of claims is noted on the NPI decision letters for the respective year of application.

Payments

Payments for submitted claims will start to issue by early October at the latest.

In preparation for the opening of the claims system, the Department will hold a short, live webinar on 17 July 2025 at 10am to demonstrate the claims process.

Minister Heydon concluded: “My Department continues to engage with advisers and participants to manage all elements of ACRES, and I encourage everyone to avail of the resources available on my Department’s website in relation to NPIs, including the upcoming webinar on Thursday, 17 July and the specification documents which have been developed in conjunction with the ACRES CP teams.”