Schemes update: ANC advance payments and ACRES Non-Productive Investments announcements
Details of the commencement of advance payments under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme and the opening of applications for Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) under ACRES were shared today, September 18.
ANC advance payments
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D, announced that payments to farmers under the ANC scheme have commenced, with payments totalling over €184 million having issued to 87,149 farmers, which he noted: “is the highest level of advance payments to the most farmers ever achieved for the ANC.”
The Minister commented: “Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days and my department will continue to process, as a matter of urgency, all remaining cases for payment as they meet scheme criteria.”
Additionally, the Minister confirmed that his department is on track to facilitate payment of the advance of 70% under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), Complementary Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) from 16 October 2024 and payments under the Eco-scheme from 21 October 2024.
ACRES Non-productive Investments (NPIs) applications open
Minister McConalogue also announced that applications may now be submitted on behalf of participants in the Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) for Non-Productive Investments (NPIs). Applications, in the form of NPI Annual Work plans, are prepared and submitted by ACRES advisors on behalf of their clients who are ACRES Co-operation participants
Making the announcement, the Minister said: “With this second NPI application window opening today, I encourage farmers in the ACRES Co-operation approach to avail of the funding available to them through NPIs. These investments are an integral element of ACRES that support farmers to take specific measures to enhance environmental outcomes on their holdings and thereby increase their payments under the scheme.”
The deadline for the submission of NPI applications this year will be 4.30pm on Thursday, 31st October 2024. As with the first Tranche of NPI applications in 2023, this will be followed by the necessary screening of the applications by the ACRES Co-operation Project Teams.
For the first Tranche of NPI applications, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has noted that all applications have been through the screening process, with some additional validations now required. Furthermore, the system to support the submission of claims and the processing of payments in respect of these approved investments will follow as early as possible in 2025.
“My Department is expediting decision letters for farmers that applied in the first window, and these are scheduled to issue by the end of the year," Minister McConalogue said.