ACRES Co-operation
A locally adapted agri-environment scheme

ACRES Co-operation is open to any farmer with land in one of the Co-operation zones. The first tranche of entrants joined the scheme on January 1st 2023. The second tranche have been accepted by the Dept. of Agriculture. Bringing the total to over 7300 farmer participants across ACRES CP Breifne, Leinster and Munster/South Connacht.

Applications are made through approved Farm Advisors. Farmers who are interested in joining should talk to their advisor as soon as possible. Contact details for approved advisors can be found on our Resources Page.

Details of the opening and closing dates will be published on this website as soon as they are available.

ACRES Co-operation is a high ambition stream within Ireland’s national agri-environment scheme. It is a locally adapted results-based approach to supporting the delivery of ecological services by farmers.

The rollout of the scheme is supported by eight Co-operation teams. 

FIVE-YEAR PROGRAMME

ACRES Co-operation is available to farmers in eight Co-operation zones, which are targeted specifically at High Nature Value farmland. The ACRES Co-operation zones were defined by a cross-government working group as high priority, High Nature Value farmland areas dominated by semi-natural vegetation (both privately owned and in commonage), Natura 2000 lands, and priority water catchments with high water quality.<br>

ACRES Co-operation incorporates landscape and catchment considerations into a results-based agri-environmental approach for these areas.

Hybrid Results-Based Approach

The project values participation and co-operation in the delivery of environmental objectives. It encourages and rewards farming for conservation with incentives and support, rather than penalties.

Flexible and Adaptable

Farmers make the decisions for their own farm. They are supported with training and advice, and rewarded for their achievements.

Payment for Results

All eligible land will be scored annually with a user-friendly scorecard. Higher scores receive higher payments. This gives farmers the incentive to manage their fields in ways that will improve the habitat condition and thus improve their payment.

Payment for Actions

Funding for Non-Productive Investments and Landscape Actions is available to help farmers to improve their scores and increase their habitat payments.

Landscape Actions

Landscape Actions are intended to help farmers working individually or in groups to address issues that have an impact beyond the field itself. These include a wide range of options to address water quality, wildfire resilience or invasive species. The local CP team will assist farmers in coordinating action at the landscape level.

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Choice of NPIs

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Farmer Participants

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Actions Screened in Year 1

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Total area of commonage surveyed last year

The regions we manage.

Munster / South Connacht

The Munster / South Connacht Co-operation project is headed by Padraig Cronin. It has offices in Tralee, Co. Kerry and Oranmore, Co. Galway. For administrative purposes, this Co-operation project is divided into 13 regions.

Breifne

The Breifne Co-operation Project is headed by Dr. Caroline Sullivan. It is based in Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim. For administrative purposes, it is divided into four parts.

Leinster

The Leinster Co-operation Project is headed by Padraig Cronin and it is based in Blessington, Co. Wicklow where. For Administrative purposes it is divided into four parts.

Funding The Programme

Co-operation Project teams support farmers in ACRES Co-operation through specialist training and helping them to select and deliver the right action in the right place. The teams will also develop the Local Area Plans, assess commonages and deliver specialist training for farmers.

Their main objective is to ensure that farmers’ efforts and public investment achieve the optimum benefit for our shared environment.

The Co-operation Project Teams are fully funded by the Dept. of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We will never charge a farmer for the services that we provide.

The ACRES CP Process

01

Recognise

We recognise the work of farmers who have managed the land we look to preserve. We recognise areas where biodiversity can be improved.

02

Support

We support the farmers through advisory roles, training and expertise in key ecology areas to ensure a greener ireland for generations to come. 

03

Reward

We reward communities and farmers for their work in delivering key ecological benefits to the land with financial incentives across a range of categories.

04

Review & Repeat

The results based scheme is delivered on the basis of repeated delivery and the process of taking the learnings from previous work and using it to improve the coming years actions and initiatives. 

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James Cordon Customer

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Lina Joaquin Customer

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Marcel Lawson Customer

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