Mayo farmers benefit from ACRES payments
Fianna Fáil Minister Dara Calleary TD has welcomed confirmation from the Department of Agriculture that €222.6 million in ACRES payments for 2025 has issued since the beginning of November. As of this week, 96% of participants have received their 2025 advance payments.
The ACRES scheme, introduced by former Fianna Fáil Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, is a farmer-focused initiative aimed at tackling biodiversity decline, while providing vital income support to almost 54,000 farm families across Ireland.
Welcoming the update, Minister Calleary said: “I have long advocated for timely ACRES payments to farmers, and the fact that 96% of payments have now been processed is a clear signal that the Department is responding to those concerns. I want to commend the farmers participating in ACRES, along with their advisors and the ACRES Co-operation Project Teams, for their commitment to the sustainable management of land and the delivery of important environmental objectives.
Farmers need to be financially backed for the good environmental work they are doing. I am glad this is happening in a timely fashion now.”
“ACRES, introduced by Fianna Fáil in Government in 2022, has been a game-changer in accelerating the achievement of the State’s environmental goals through the hard work and dedication of farming families across Mayo and beyond.”
Minister Calleary continued, “Farmers have planted over 24,500 hectares of catch crops, helping to reduce nutrient leaching and prevent soil erosion. In addition, more than 55,000 hectares of land are being actively managed to provide undisturbed foraging areas to support overwintering geese and swans.”
Over 2,300 kilometres of new hedgerows have been planted under ACRES to date, along with more than half a million trees. These provide benefits such as enhanced biodiversity, shade and shelter for livestock, and reduced soil erosion.
Minister Calleary said that former Minister Charlie McConalogue showed foresight and leadership in engaging constructively with farmers to deliver environmental benefits that will be felt for generations to come.
He stated: “This is the kind of forward-thinking governance that can be challenging to initiate but pays dividends for decades. I want to acknowledge the farmers and food producers who showed trust and commitment by engaging with ACRES from the outset.”
Minister Calleary added, “There are significant environmental benefits accruing over the five-year lifetime of the scheme, with approximately 25% of agricultural land now entered into ACRES by just under 54,000 farmers. The results-based payments are specifically designed to incentivise and reward farmers who deliver stronger environmental outcomes on their land, and I want to sincerely thank them for their efforts.”