Major changes which aim to free up the current ACRES log-jam have been tabled by the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).

The INHFA has proposed that all farmers in co-operation areas are given and paid for a habitat score of eight for 2024 and 2025.

The scores currently compiled by the co-operation teams and farm advisors over the last two years would form the basis of discussions with farmers around the actions necessary to improve their scores, the INHFA maintains.

“The target is that by 2026 or 2027 these areas will be at a score of eight.

“However, if this is not achieved then no penalty is applied for 2024 and 2025 but farmers will then be paid on their new score in 2026/27,” the INHFA proposes.

“In accepting this change ACRES can move from its current position of penalising farmers – often for what is outside their control – to a point where farmers are supported to improve their score and rewarded for doing so,” the INHFA document states.

Ongoing issues

“This proposal gives everyone, including the Department of Agriculture, the time to address ongoing issues around IT and provides the time to roll out the non-productive investments (NPIs) and landscape actions which will hopefully deliver the necessary benefits,” it adds.

The farm body has also suggested that commonage farmers are paid at the same rates as those working peat grasslands.

The INHFA has stated that it aims to launch a major information campaign to highlight the ongoing difficulties with ACRES and the merits of its proposed solution.

“The ACRES model is something we always had major concerns about, but we have to find a way to make it work for the next number of years,” Roddy said.