The Area Monitoring System (AMS), which utilises satellite imagery, will be used to monitor compliance with seven actions in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) in 2025.

The technology was used in 2024 to monitor compliance with two actions – namely, extensively grazed pasture and winter bird food.

A further five actions have now been added, including brassica fodder stubble, catch crops, environmental management of fallow, riparian buffer zone (arable) and riparian buffer zone (grassland).

The aspect of the actions monitored by AMS is summarised as follows:

  • Brassica fodder stubble: AMS will check for the establishment of this catch crop.
  • Catch crops: AMS will check for establishment of catch crop.
  • Environmental management of arable fallow: AMS will check for establishment of catch crop.
  • Extensively grazed pasture: AMS will check for mowing events during the restricted period, ie 15 March to 1 July.
  • Riparian buffer zone - arable: AMS will check for the presence of a grass crop and mowing events during the restricted period, ie 1 March to 31 August.
  • Riparian buffer zone - grassland: AMS will check for the presence of a grass crop and mowing events during the restricted period, ie 1 March to 31 August.
  • Winter bird food: AMS will check for establishment of winter bird food crop by 15 May.

    • Satellite imagery

    The Department of Agriculture explains that AMS is defined as “the regular and systematic observation, tracking and assessment of agricultural activities and practices on agricultural areas using Copernicus Sentinel Satellite data”.

    The AMS interprets sentinel satellite imagery enabling the Department to determine agricultural activities on the 1.3m declared land parcels in the country. Parcels monitored by AMS will have colour-coded results - green, yellow or red.

    It says: “Parcels flagged by AMS as green and yellow indicate a degree of confidence that the land details in the farmer’s application has been verified by AMS and payments can be made. However, a land parcel flagged by AMS as red indicates an error which may result in a notification being issued to the applicant on their BISS online account, along with a request to submit geotagged photographs using Agrisnap”.

    The Department adds that an error could include an ineligible crop sown to meet the requirements of a particular scheme, an incorrect crop declared on BISS (different to what AMS has identified on the ground) or the presence of an ineligible feature such as a roadway or residence.

    “AMS may be complemented with follow-up checks on the ground by an inspector to provide further clarification. Failure to respond to an AMS notification and to submit an Agrisnap may result in a delay to scheme payments.”