The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that 61% of Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) scorecards have been submitted.

125,000 scorecards were issued at the beginning of June of which 76,322 were returned by last Friday (August 8).

The department has reminded farmers and their advisors that scorecards must be submitted by August 31 to allow advance payments to be made in November.

The application window for Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) under the agri-environmental scheme is currently open.

DAFM said that so far 80 claims have been submitted for 2023 while 22 have been submitted for 2024.

The application window for Landscape Actions remains open.

The department has also confirmed that 96% of all ACRES participants are now fully paid for their participation in the scheme in 2023 and 2024.

By August 8, a total of over €515.1 million had been paid to ACRES participants.

Balancing payments, in respect of participation in the Scheme in 2023, were made on August 8 to 1 participant.

No payment issued as the interim payment covered the contract value.

This brought the total paid in respect of participation in ACRES in 2023 to €248.8 million, paid to 44,406 participants, or over 99% of all ACRES Tranche 1 participants.

A total of 234 farmers have yet to receive their final payments for 2023. Of these, 37 have already received an interim payment of either €4,000 or €5,000, respectively.

The department issued advance payments, in respect of participation in the scheme in 2024, to 22 farmers on August 8, with those payments amounting to €100,325.

This payment run brought total 2024 advance payments to almost €227.1 million, paid to 52,832 farmers, or almost 98% of all ACRES participants.

Advance payments in respect of scheme participation in 2024 have still to be made to 1,082 ACRES participants across Tranches 1 and 2.

Of these 1,082 participants, 234 are also awaiting their balancing payment in respect of 2023, as that must be paid before the 2024 advance payment may be made to them.

Balancing payments in respect of participation in the Scheme in 2024 commenced on May 15.

The most recent payment run paid €50,681 to a further 71 participants.

This brought the total paid in balancing payments in respect of 2024 to over €39 million, to 51,773 participants.

The department said that outstanding payments will continue to be made weekly once contracts are cleared for payment.