Participants in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) are expected to receive a copy of their plan from the Department of Agriculture at the start of May.

Reports indicate that advisers have been inundated in recent weeks with queries regarding the measures selected and associated management practices.

Extensively grazed pasture is one of the main measures selected, so it is not surprising that a significant number of questions refer to management under this measure.

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The following points from the scheme terms and conditions give an overview of the requirements:

  • The parcel must be maintained by grazing to maintain a diverse sward with open vegetation, ie many grass and flower species present, and scrub/briars not coming to dominate. Ploughing, cultivation, reseeding or any drainage works (including modifying existing drainage channels) are not permitted.
  • The parcel cannot be mown or topped between 15 March and 1 July.
  • Maximum nitrogen application is 40kg/ha as inorganic or organic fertiliser per year. However, low to no nitrogen application will lead to the most diverse sward.
  • Pesticides and herbicides are not permitted, except to spot treat or weed wipe to control noxious and invasive species. These plants can also be controlled by topping but this is only permitted after 1 July in localised areas.
  • Rushes can be controlled by topping, grazing, or weed wiping/spot spraying. Boom spraying herbicides is not permitted. Rush management must not take place until after 1 July and should be carried out in rotation with no more than 50% of the field managed by topping or weed wiping/spot spraying in any one year.
  • Where a watercourse is present on or adjacent to the parcel, bovines are not permitted to access the watercourse. Where no natural barrier exists, the watercourse must be fenced at least 1.5m from the top of the bank when bovines are present (drinking points are not permitted).
  • Supplementary meal feeding may take place on these parcels, provided meal troughs are moved to avoid poaching and are not located in close proximity to waterbodies.
  • Supplementary feeding of forage to livestock is not allowed except for feeding hay to sheep, provided feeding points are moved to avoid poaching and are not located in close proximity to waterbodies.

    • Low-input grassland

    Low-input grassland has not been selected to near the same degree as extensively grazed pasture but there has still been a big jump in the area compared to previous schemes such as the Results-Based Environment-Agri Programme (REAP).

    It is a result-based measure which means that the rate of payment is dependent on the score awarded following an assessment by your adviser.

    Fields must be scored by an approved ACRES adviser between 1 June and 31 August in years one, three and five of your contract using the ACRES grassland score card.

    Participants can declare that scores recorded in years one and three can be used to form the payment claim in years two and four. However, there will be the option to score all LIG fields in years two and four as indicated on the BISS application. Other requirements are listed as follows in addition to those described for extensively grazed pasture.

  • A geo-tagged photograph submitted via the AgriSnap app giving a clear representation of the scored field, must accompany each score card.
  • Indicator species occurring in the boundaries and margins, but not otherwise represented in the main part of the field cannot be counted.
  • In order for fields to be scored accurately and an appropriate payment to be made there needs to be a cover of vegetation present. This means that fields cannot be recently mown in advance of scoring.

    • Participants have the opportunity to apply for a late meadow bonus payment (€50/ha) on meadows cut between 1 July and 31 August. The requirements to satisfy this add-on is listed in the points below taken from scheme terms and conditions.

  • Meadows must be closed-up with no grazing or machinery operations to take place for at least six weeks prior to cutting.
  • The earliest date meadows may be cut for hay/silage is 1 July and the latest date to qualify for the bonus payment is 31 August.
  • Geo-tagged photograph(s), submitted via the AgriSnap app, giving a clear representation of the mown meadow, must be submitted to the Department on date of mowing or within five days after mowing activity (but must be prior to significant grass regrowth).

    • Riparian buffers

    The deadline for establishing riparian buffers, whether linear strips or zones, is 15 May 2023. A permanent fence must be erected by this date if a natural boundary does not already exist. Where a fence is being erected it must be a permanent fence that is appropriate for the stock present.

    For example, if the fence is required to be stockproof for sheep then sheep wire is appropriate.

    Electric fencing can be used but this must comprise of wire and stakes which provide a robust fence as opposed to light stakes/PVC/pigtail posts, etc, and polywire.

    If the fence is required to be stockproof for sheep then sheep wire is appropriate.

    The area must be fenced off and stockproof to exclude livestock for the entire duration of the contract.

    An access point is permitted to facilitate management of the area.

    Chemical or organic fertiliser cannot be applied to the riparian buffer.

    Additionally, pesticides and herbicides are not permitted, except for the spot treatment of noxious/invasive weeds.

    The presence of noxious or invasive weeds is deemed to be high-risk in riparian areas due to the nature of vegetation in these areas and inactivity of grazing livestock.

    Cutting of the area and removal of vegetation is permitted but this cannot take place between 1 March and 31 August.

    Cutting is not mandatory but the terms and conditions advise that a buildup of nutrients can develop overtime in some buffers, which will then require more frequent management to maintain functionality.

    The terms and conditions advise that in such instances in “spatially targeted buffers where there is a high risk of overland flow, cutting and removal of vegetation at least once annually may be necessary”.

    It is also advised to refrain from using heavy machinery with 2m of the bank of the water source (river, surface drain, etc).