Farmers participating in the rare breeds action in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) must submit their 2024 declaration of stock numbers by 15 November 2025. Participants must also submit proof of membership of a relevant rare breed society and relevant animal identification documents, including certificates issued by the breed society, for each registered animals.

Participants must have at least 0.10 livestock unit (LU) eligible for payment each year.

The declaration, which concerns about 2,500 participants, may be completed by a participant or their adviser and must be submitted online through the MyAgfood.ie or agfood.ie facility.

A failure to complete the declaration will result in delayed ACRES payments.

Payment date

Payment for the conservation of rare breeds action is made in arrears based on the monthly average livestock units of owned registered animals over the previous recording year.

The Department of Agriculture ACRES section states that payment for the 2024 claim will form part of the 2025 balance payment, which is due to issue in the second quarter of 2026.

The livestock unit values for different categories of stock are outlined as follows:

  • Bovines under one year old are 0.4LU.
  • Bovines aged from one to two years are 0.7LU.
  • Male bovines aged two years and over are 1LU.
  • Suckler cows and female bovines aged two years and over are 0.8LU.
  • Equines over six months are 0.8LU.
  • Sheep/goats over six months of age are 0.1LU.

    • The breeds eligible under the conservation of rare breeds action in ACRES include the cattle breeds of Kerry, Dexter, Irish Maol (Irish Moiled) and Droimeann, the horse breeds Connemara Pony, Irish Draught and Kerry Bog Pony and the Galway Sheep breed and Old Irish Goat.

    A users' guide for the submission of this claim through the ACRES portal is available on the ACRES web page.

    LESS declaration

    There is still a small number of participants who have yet to submit their annual declaration under the low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) action.

    The Department is urging such farmers to submit their declaration immediately, citing that payments cannot be sanctioned until the declaration is processed.