ACRES Update – Priority Actions

By Glen Corbett, B&T Drystock Adviser, Teagasc Galway/Clare

As is the case with most things in life, things are usually fine until they are not. This seems to be particularly the case with ACRES 1 and 2. These schemes are still basically new schemes and some of the Actions in farmers plans haven’t actually been carried out yet on the ground. But with the increased use of satellite technology/imagery to inspect the likes of Winter Bird Food plots and other ACRES actions, coupled with the interconnection between schemes like Acres and BISS, there never has been a time when farmers need to be more careful and accurate when ensuring they comply with the requirements they have signed up to. The other thing to note at this stage is that the shift in emphasis by the Department of Agriculture to Results based schemes/systems, meaning the more a farmer undertakes to improve environmental conditions (such as water quality) on the farm, the higher their ACRES payment will be.

On applying for ACRES, every applicant wants to maximise their payment. But as the Department sets out with a limited budget and potentially not enough for everyone to gain access, then the first thing to ensure is that you actually gain entry into the scheme. To do this, applicants had to negotiate the Acres General Tier Structure. Along with ACRES General, there is also the ACRES Co-Op option; I will leave that for another day’s discussion. So in the Table below is the ACRES General Tier Structure, whereby the higher up the tier structure you could get, the more likely you were to gain entry into the scheme. The purpose of this article is to highlight that if you are in ACRES and you chose a Priority Action (Tier 1 or 2) to gain access to the scheme, then there is a hefty penalty if you do not abide by that measure, it is one full years ACRES payment. I will then take the Traditional Rare Breed option as an example of a Priority Action and run through the requirements in place in order to abide by this Priority Action properly.

Acres General Tier Structure (abbreviated)

Conservation of Rare Breeds

This is a good example of a Tier 1 Priority Action and was commonly chosen by ACRES applicants. This measure aims to ensure the long-term survival of specific rare breeds (see list in table below). In relation to Rare Breeds I just want to point out again the importance of this Measure in that it is a Priority Action, therefore if this is the Action that your acceptance into ACRES is based on from now until end of contract if ACRES rules aren’t obeyed this could lead to a full year ACRES penalty (the full ACRES payment, not just the rare breeds element).

Eligible Livestock Species

Cattle

• Kerry 
• Dexter
• Irish Maol (or Moiled)
• Droimeann

Horses and Ponies

• Connemara Pony
• Irish Draught
• Kerry Bog Pony

Sheep and Goats

• Galway
• Old Irish Goat

All ACRES 1 rare breed declarations have just been or are being submitted currently (Deadline 31^st December). For the first time this is an online process. In 2024, we submit the 2023 animal numbers and details. In November/December 2025, we will be submitting the 2024 details (for both ACRES 1 and ACRES 2). In the meantime, be aware of the following details.

• Make sure to complete equine census annually for equines such as Connemara ponies.
• Mention the Galway breed on your ovine census.
• Keep up your society membership.

Rules re rare breeds can be seen in the Table below. For sheep, watch out for the minimum requirement rule (0.1LU every year). For equines, make sure to register all foals in your name and retain all passports for uploading and inspection. For all breeds it’s important to link the mother (dam) with her offspring to ensure by end of year 3 all females have produced an offspring.

To be eligible for the Conservation of Rare Breeds action participants must:

1. Be a member of a recognised breed society for the duration of the contract.
2. From at least one of the breeds selected, produce at least 1 offspring that is registered with the relevant breed society before the end of year 3 of the contract.
3. Register all progeny from a purebred mating with the relevant breed society when seeking a rare breed payment on an animal. 
4. Maintain an up-to-date monthly record of all registered animals owned by you. 
5. Have at least 0.10 LU eligible for payment each year.

Additional guidelines are in the ACRES Spec, which is available at www.gov.ie