Applications for non-productive investments (NPIs), available to farmers participating in the co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) has reopened, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has announced.

NPIs are voluntary actions which an ACRES Co-operation participant may undertake on their holding to support them in the management of their holding and to enhance the environmental standard of the land.

Actions may include water quality protection, planting trees and planting new hedgerows.

An improvement in the environmental standard can, in turn, result in the land meriting a higher score when assessed and translate into a higher rate of payment under the results-based payment approach in ACRES.

Just under €8.5m has already been paid out to date in respect of the implementation of the NPIs approved from the 2023 and 2024 application windows, with more to be paid out upon the implementation of those approved from the 2025 application window.

Last opportunity

This NPI application window, open from 1 July 2026 to 14 October 2026, will be the last opportunity that ACRES Co-operation participants, who were approved into ACRES under Tranche 1, from 2023, have to apply for NPIs as ACRES Tranche 1 contracts end on 31 December 2027.

“This is the fourth application window for NPIs and the same application process is in place as for the previous application windows in 2023, 2024 and last year,” the minister said.

“I encourage ACRES Co-operation farmers to engage with their ACRES adviser to look at the NPIs available and the way in which some of those actions could address issues impacting their score, as it is the ACRES adviser who submits the NPI application on their behalf.

“This year’s application window is opening a month earlier than last year’s and coincides with ACRES advisers being out assessing and scoring lands for ACRES payments.

“There has been a good uptake of NPIs so far and I consider that ACRES Co-operation farmers should again look at the options available to them in the form of NPIs so that NPI applications may be prepared and submitted this year by the closing date of 14 October 2026.”

The list of NPIs and revised specifications is available on the Department’s website here.