Some €1.4m for non-productive investments (NPIs) in the co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is being paid to 588 farmers this week.
While 1,200 claims have been submitted to date, farmers who have completed NPIs are encouraged to submit their claims as soon as possible.
The other NPI claims received are being progressed, according to Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
Farmers can receive up to €17,500 in funding over the five-year period of the contract for completing NPIs.
Farmers can submit claims themselves or the claim may be submitted by their ACRES adviser.
NPIs are actions that address environmental issues on the farm, directly contribute to environmental objectives or increase the farmers' capacity to improve field scores through management.
There are three categories of proposed NPIs to be made available to ACRES co-operation participants.
Section 1 NPI habitat and wildlife support.Section 2 NPI infrastructure.Section 3 NPI scrub / track (Burren/Aran CP zone only).Examples include putting up barn owl or bat boxes or using a solar electric fencer.
Making the announcement, Minister Heydon said that option under ACRES is one of the new more ambitious elements of the scheme.
"Participants are being paid to directly address on-farm environmental issues and funding is available to support tailored actions undertaken by farmers.
"The environmental benefits of these investments should allow participants to increase their payments through an increase in their results based payments," he said.
Highlighting the value of NPIs, the Minister added: “I want to again encourage farmers in the ACRES co-operation zones to engage with their ACRES advisers and their local ACRES co-operation project team, in advance of the next NPI application opportunity, to look at the range of NPIs available to them and assess the potential for enhancing their land and increasing scores.”
Some €1.4m for non-productive investments (NPIs) in the co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is being paid to 588 farmers this week.
While 1,200 claims have been submitted to date, farmers who have completed NPIs are encouraged to submit their claims as soon as possible.
The other NPI claims received are being progressed, according to Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
Farmers can receive up to €17,500 in funding over the five-year period of the contract for completing NPIs.
Farmers can submit claims themselves or the claim may be submitted by their ACRES adviser.
NPIs are actions that address environmental issues on the farm, directly contribute to environmental objectives or increase the farmers' capacity to improve field scores through management.
There are three categories of proposed NPIs to be made available to ACRES co-operation participants.
Section 1 NPI habitat and wildlife support.Section 2 NPI infrastructure.Section 3 NPI scrub / track (Burren/Aran CP zone only).Examples include putting up barn owl or bat boxes or using a solar electric fencer.
Making the announcement, Minister Heydon said that option under ACRES is one of the new more ambitious elements of the scheme.
"Participants are being paid to directly address on-farm environmental issues and funding is available to support tailored actions undertaken by farmers.
"The environmental benefits of these investments should allow participants to increase their payments through an increase in their results based payments," he said.
Highlighting the value of NPIs, the Minister added: “I want to again encourage farmers in the ACRES co-operation zones to engage with their ACRES advisers and their local ACRES co-operation project team, in advance of the next NPI application opportunity, to look at the range of NPIs available to them and assess the potential for enhancing their land and increasing scores.”
SHARING OPTIONS