The ACRES programme comes into effect from January 2023 as part of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This substitutes the Green, Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS). Under the new Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), farmers can expect payment rates of over €1,000/ha for some general actions, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) documents show.
Figures indicate a rate of €1,047/ha/year proposed for the environmental management of arable fallow (up to 5ha); creating a winter bird food plot will be rewarded with €1,000/ha/year (up to 3ha); and a maximum €2,514 can be expected for creating a 0.5ha tree belt for ammonia capture from farmyards. These potential payment rates are part of the revised CAP Strategic Plan which requires European Commission approval.
Results-based actions under the ACRES General approach will be rewarded with a payment based on a scorecard. Assessed fields are given a score out of 10, under which farmers can receive payments of up to €400/ha for the management of low-input grassland, as well as low-input peat grassland.
Scheme participants taking the low-input grassland action will potentially be able to apply for a late bonus payment of €50/ha on meadows cut between July 1 and August 31.
Also, the administration of intensive grassland next to a watercourse will be rewarded with €502/ha/year (up to 5ha), while €1.20/m3/year can be received for the low-emission slurry spreading (LESS) action (up to a maximum payment ceiling).
Farmers undertaking results-based actions under the co-operation measure on grassland, peatland or scrubland can receive a maximum payment of €400/ha, while farmers already in the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) can receive €150/ha.
For more information about ACRES, see here.