Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D, today marked a major step forward in the implementation of Ireland’s 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan with important announcements on key Pillar 1 (direct payments) and Pillar 2 (rural development) farm supports.
The Minister said: “This is a huge and significant day for the farm families of Ireland as we begin the rollout of Ireland’s €9.8bn CAP Strategic Plan. In relation to Pillar 1, I am delighted to confirm that the application process for the new Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) as well as other area-based schemes, is now open. Working alongside my colleagues Minister Hackett and Minister Heydon, I am delighted to be able to announce the opening of BISS now.
“Over the coming days, farmers will receive information in the post containing their BISS maps and land details for 2023. Useful information on the new schemes, on the Area Monitoring System and a guide to staying healthy, safe, and well while farming, which has been supported and driven by Minister Heydon, will also be posted to farmers. This information will assist farmers and their advisors to make their online BISS application.”
Continuing, the Minister referred to some of the key dates that will inform scheme implementation in 2023. He said: “With this being the first year of the new CAP Strategic Plan, a whole range of new schemes are being introduced over a relatively short time period. It is important therefore that farmers and advisors are aware of some important planned delivery dates, including:
- the closing date for BISS applications, which will be midnight on Monday 29 May 2023
- the advance payment dates for ANC, BISS, CRISS and the Eco-scheme, which are expected to commence in October 2023
- the dates for balancing payments and payments for other schemes, which are expected to commence in December 2023.”
Minister McConalogue also confirmed that the online systems for transferring Payment Entitlements, and for applying for the National Reserve (Young Farmer and New Entrant) and Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (the new Young Farmers’ Scheme) will open in mid-March 2023.
The Minister took the opportunity to emphasise the supports that will be available for farmers and advisors in completing BISS applications. He said: “In keeping with the extensive communication and engagement we have had to date on all aspects of the CAP Strategic Plan, both in-person and online, my Department will have a number of further specific supports in place for 2023, including a series of public webinars that will take place over the month of March, and in-person information sessions and farmer clinics that will take place throughout the country from end-March to mid-May.
“The Information Sessions and farmer clinics will be advertised in the farm media and local newspapers in the coming weeks. I urge all farmers and advisors to participate in these initiatives, and to engage with the application process as early as possible rather than wait until nearer the closing date.”
In relation to Pillar 2, Minister McConalogue confirmed the position in relation to the number of ACRES applicants that will be accepted into Tranche 1 of the Scheme. He said: “I am delighted to announce that, after receiving more than 46,000 applications, all valid applications submitted for ACRES will be accepted into the Scheme in 2023.
“Farmers have shown their desire to enhance the environmental sustainability of their enterprises through their enthusiasm for the CAP Strategic Plan’s flagship environmental programme. Farmers have shown that they are ready and willing to play their part and both I and the Government are backing those ambitions.
“I want to harness that enthusiasm and deliver the maximum possible environmental benefit. It will be challenging, and it will require intensive and focused effort from all concerned - from my Department, from advisors, from Co-operation Project Teams and from farmers - but I look forward to working with everyone to achieve that objective.”
In terms of next steps for ACRES applicants, the Minister commented: “ACRES applicants will hear further from my Department, in the coming days, as the formal approval letters are issued. The message for now is that farmers should wait until they receive their letters before contacting either the Department or their advisor.”
The Minister noted that an approval summary, which will show where actions have been mapped on the participant’s farm, will also be sent to ACRES participants by the end of March, as well as a species identification booklet to help farmers identify the indicator species on their land to be used in the scoring process.
He also noted that, in order to accommodate the significantly higher-than-anticipated number of participants, access to the BISS application system for ACRES applicants will be made available on a gradual basis over the next few weeks, as approvals issue and as the required updates to mapping systems are made.
This process is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
- Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS)
Farmers must apply for BISS and other area-based payments using the Department's online facility (agfood.ie). They must log onto www.agfood.ie and click on the BISS/area-based schemes link to start their applications.
Alternatively, farmers can contact a Farm Advisory System (FAS) approved Advisor to make the application on their behalf. For a list of FAS approved Advisors, please see https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b41a6-farm-advisory-system/#find-a-farm-advisor.
Farmers can apply online on the BISS application system for the following schemes:
- Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS)
- Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS)
- Eco scheme
- Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CIS-YF)
- Protein Aid
- Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC)
- Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM)
- Annual claims for Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and/or Organic Farming Scheme (OFS), if applicable.
All farmers will also be notified over the coming weeks of the value of their Payment Entitlements.
ACRES applicants will not be able to access their BISS application system until they have received their Approval letter, which are expected to issue in the coming days. This is to ensure that the farmer and advisor have access to all relevant information when submitting the BISS application. This helps to ensure that the Department can process all applications under these schemes as efficiently as possible.
Public Webinars
Tuesday 7 March @ 19.00 - Land Eligibility, BISS, ANC, CRISS, Eco-Scheme, Active Farmer and Agricultural Activity
Register https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1842325619826910812
Thursday 9 March @ 19:00 - Conditionality, AMS & Geotagged Photos, Straw Incorporation Measure, Protein Aid
Register https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5119184730925003096
Tuesday 14 March @ 19:00 - Payment Entitlements, National Reserve and CIYSF
Register https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/413060559718508887
Contact
Full Terms and Conditions are available online, or a hard copy can be requested by contacting the Direct Payment Helpdesk (details below).
Further information, including Guides and Videos, is available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/dba65-biss-and-other-area-related-schemes/
Should farmers wish to contact the department in relation to online application they can do so at:
- 049 4368288 in relation to queries on registering for www.agfood.ie– for example queries on lost passwords, how to register;
- 057 8674422 in relation to queries on completing the BISS and other area-based schemes application once registered on www.agfood.ie,or to request a paper copy of the Terms and Conditions.
- Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES)
- ACRES is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027 and is the successor to GLAS which was operated under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
- The Government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES - the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme. It is co-funded by the EU and the national exchequer.
- Adopting a habitats-based focus, delivered through both multi-functional prescription and results-based actions, ACRES aims to contribute significantly to achieving improved biodiversity, climate, and air and water quality outcomes. An underlying principle is the location of the right action in the right place.
- There are two approaches within ACRES, namely:
- an ACRES General approach offering a range of General Actions for farmers outside of the ACRES co-operation areas (as outlined below); and
- a Co-operation approach, available to farmers in eight defined high priority geographical areas, the majority of which are along the western seaboard. Participating farmers will be facilitated by a Local Cooperation Project (CP) Team.
- Applicants for ACRES General can choose from a range of actions to be carried out on their farms, for which they could receive an annual maximum payment of €7,311. Those with results-based actions will have the relevant parcels scored by their ACRES advisor from 1 June to 31 August 2023.
- Participants in ACRES CP will see habitats identified and the relevant scorecards assigned by CP Teams, following which their farms will be scored by their ACRES advisor over the summer months. The payment due will be based on the scores achieved.
- The Department with CP teams will be providing training, in late May, to ACRES Advisors on such scoring.
- An ACRES CP participant may receive up to €7,000 annually in results-based payments (depending on the score). A further €3,500 is available annually for ACRES CP participants in respect of non-productive investments and/or landscape actions.
- Contracts under each Tranche will be for five calendar years.
- The ACRES system opened for applications for Tranche 1 in October 2022, with over 46,000 applications received by the (extended) deadline in December 2022. Eligibility checks on the applications have been undertaken by the Department since the closing date.
- All applicants for Tranche 1 whose applications have passed eligibility checks are being accepted into the Scheme.
- If applicants have not received a letter from the Department by the end of March, they should contact the Department immediately acres@agriculture/gov.ie or acrescp@agriculture.gov.ie