The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has criticised the rollout of Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments, describing it as “too little, too late”.
The association said that there is belief that the hold-up in these payments has caused irreparable damage to this and future agri-environment schemes.
There are over 1,000 farmers who joined the first tranche of the scheme who are awaiting balancing payments.
In addition, there are 5,400 farmers awaiting their first payment for 2024, which amounts to 10% of the 54,082 participants in the ACRES programme.
INHFA national chair Pheilim Molloy said the wait for payments in addition to clarity on overall payments is unacceptable.
“The recent progress made in getting balancing payments out, while positive, is very much a case of too little, too late,” he said.
“The recent progress made in getting balancing payments out, while positive, is very much a case of too little, too late,” Molloy said.
“For these farmers - and indeed all other farmers in ACRES - the inability by the Department to deliver on payment dates and the actions to support farmers will be the defining element of the scheme, as well as being a major factor in their decision to partake (or not) in any future agri-environment scheme.”
Scoring
The INHFA also highlighted concerns around habitat scoring for commonage farmers in the co-operation (CP) areas.
For these farmers, landscape actions (LAs) were included to assist farmers in improving their habitat score, but, as of yet, none of these actions have been made available.
“This is another example of farmers losing out due to the failures of the Department, who have indicated that these actions will not be available until the second or third quarter of this year,” added Molloy.
“Based on previous ACRES deadlines, it is reasonable to now assume that these LAs won’t be available until at least September, which will be too late to positively influence the habitat scoring that has already started on these commonages.”
Read more
News Podcast: battle for Barne, ACRES and Meath crime gang
Comment: ACRES lessons must be learned
Heydon's ACRES target hangs in the balance
A woodland walk and wiping out weeds
The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has criticised the rollout of Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments, describing it as “too little, too late”.
The association said that there is belief that the hold-up in these payments has caused irreparable damage to this and future agri-environment schemes.
There are over 1,000 farmers who joined the first tranche of the scheme who are awaiting balancing payments.
In addition, there are 5,400 farmers awaiting their first payment for 2024, which amounts to 10% of the 54,082 participants in the ACRES programme.
INHFA national chair Pheilim Molloy said the wait for payments in addition to clarity on overall payments is unacceptable.
“The recent progress made in getting balancing payments out, while positive, is very much a case of too little, too late,” he said.
“The recent progress made in getting balancing payments out, while positive, is very much a case of too little, too late,” Molloy said.
“For these farmers - and indeed all other farmers in ACRES - the inability by the Department to deliver on payment dates and the actions to support farmers will be the defining element of the scheme, as well as being a major factor in their decision to partake (or not) in any future agri-environment scheme.”
Scoring
The INHFA also highlighted concerns around habitat scoring for commonage farmers in the co-operation (CP) areas.
For these farmers, landscape actions (LAs) were included to assist farmers in improving their habitat score, but, as of yet, none of these actions have been made available.
“This is another example of farmers losing out due to the failures of the Department, who have indicated that these actions will not be available until the second or third quarter of this year,” added Molloy.
“Based on previous ACRES deadlines, it is reasonable to now assume that these LAs won’t be available until at least September, which will be too late to positively influence the habitat scoring that has already started on these commonages.”
Read more
News Podcast: battle for Barne, ACRES and Meath crime gang
Comment: ACRES lessons must be learned
Heydon's ACRES target hangs in the balance
A woodland walk and wiping out weeds
SHARING OPTIONS