ACRES Cooperation Project (CP) farmers, in both Tranche 1 and Tranche 2, can now apply for Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) through their ACRES advisor, as part of their ACRES contract.
Completing approved NPIs allows you to add to your ACRES payment by up to a maximum of €17,500 over the five-year period of your contract.
It also enhances the environmental value of your farm, potentially increasing your results-based score and, in turn, your ACRES core payment.
About ACRES Cooperation payments
Your ACRES Co-operation (CP) payment over your five-year contract is made up of:
• An annual core payment for all your ACRES CP results-based payments plus your ACRES general action payments;
• Additional payments if you undertake supporting actions in the form of approved Non-Productive Investments and/or Landscape Actions.
Visit below & watch for more information.
What is your core ACRES payment?
Your ACRES core payment is made up of results-based payments and general actions, if applied for.
Results-based payments: The level of payment you receive is linked to the quality of environmental services provided. The higher the field score, the higher the payment you receive.
Payments for general actions: a flat-rate payment is made to you for carrying out general nature friendly actions, for example, new hedgerow planting.
Payments for Non-productive investments (NPIs)
Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) are small-scale environmental actions which will support nature-friendly management of your farm.
Some examples from a list of over forty NPIs, include bracken control, creation of field margins, wild bird cover, planting of trees, fencing, gates, and solar pumps.
There are two categories of NPIs available to you:
• NPI Habitat and Wildlife Support
• NPI Infrastructure
If you are in the Burren/Aran CP Zone, a third NPI Category is also available to you:
• NPI Scrub/Track
Payments for Landscape Actions (LAs): Landscape Actions are larger scale supporting actions coordinated by your local CP Team that will be of benefit to the local environment. Some examples include invasive species management, and water quality protection.
You, the farmer, have a budget available for farm investments for each year of the scheme.
Visit below & watch for more information.
Non-Productive Investments
Your ACRES farm advisor will discuss and recommend NPIs and draw up an NPI Works Plan and submit it on your behalf.
Your CP team will screen the selected NPIs for required permissions/planning, environmental suitability and to ensure that objectives of the Local Action Plan are being met.
The final decision in respect of each NPI application will be communicated in writing to you by the Department.
A maximum budget of €7,000 per year is available for all your ACRES CP results-based payments plus your ACRES General Action payments.
An NPI/LA fund of €17,500 is available for you if you undertake approved NPIs/LAs over the five years of the contract.
If you do not claim up to the maximum €7,000 core payment ceiling in any year of your ACRES contract, the balance of unclaimed funds is added to the total NPI/LA/ fund available to you.
The total maximum budget of €52,500 will not be exceeded.
The Right Action in the Right Place
Talk to your ACRES advisor today about NPIs that work for your farm.
An NPI application for 2024 may be submitted on behalf of those ACRES Co-operation participants who applied for NPIs in 2023.
Closing date: Your advisor must apply on your behalf by 16:30p.m on Thursday, October 31, 2024.
Terms and conditions apply.
Co-funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
