Agri Minister needs to extend ACRES deadline

The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) deadline must be extended or the scheme changed, said councillors at the latest meeting of the Ballinamore Municipal District.  
The issue was raised after the meeting received a letter from the Department of Agriculture with Cllr Brendan Barry expressing disappointment that the minister is “not showing any commitment to make any changes."

Cllr Barry said that he understood that just 15 percent of the scoring has been completed with advisors needing to complete ACRES CP scoring by August 31.

Cllr Barry said that if the scoring is not completed, farmers won't get paid in November. He added that farmers will be “thrown out of the scheme if they haven't their scoring and submitted by the end of September."

He noted that cooperation teams for commonages have been given extra time - an additional month (September) to score lands and will have two years to submit scorecards, while farmers with their own hired Farm Advisors also in ACRES Co-operation will be required to meet the August deadline with no additional time allowed which he described as "double standards."

Cllr Gerry Dolan said that he understood the smartphone app used by advisors to score land parcels, AgriSnap, is giving trouble in areas of poor coverage. “The deadline will have to be extended.”

Chairperson Paddy O'Rourke said that he understood that Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan and other north west counties have more parcels of land than most. 
"A typical 40 acre farm could have up to 30 parcels". He said that there are “unique circumstances here in the north west because of the nature of the farm holdings."

Cllr Barry noted that the “system wasn't up and running until 9 June so nine days were lost.”

He said he spent “about three and a half hours with a planner on Friday only doing part of the farm.”

He added: “He did several days before that and it's still not fully done.”

He said many farmers are losing out on the late meadow bonus as now advisors must submit the information required to apply for this payment whereas before farmers could do it themselves.

Cllr Enda McGloin suggested writing back to the Minister and outlining the points raised by the councillors and “try to put the pressure back on.”

Cllr Barry said that he believed the Minister "needs to move to an average payment to get them properly scored – whatever can be done this year and whatever can be scored next year." 
He stressed that cooperation teams for commonages have two years to submit scorecards and general farmers should be given the same.