Turf cutting row looming for ACRES

Farmers will walk away from the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) in co-operation areas if they are penalised over the cutting of turf on commonages.

There is a major issue around turf cutting on commonages in relation to ACRES co-operation projects, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) claimed.

The farm body has called for ACRES scorecards to be amended to remove any potential penalties.

“On many commonages, turbary rights exist that allow people who may have no share in the commonage to still cut turf. This is a legal right, and farmers grazing their commonage should not be penalised for someone else exercising their legal right. Unfortunately, the way the scorecard is drafted this is what could happen,” said INHFA president Vincent Roddy.

“Clearly, this is potentially very divisive and is not what ACRES should be about,” he added.

“Currently under the peatland scorecard farmers will see their score reduced if there is turf cut [on a commonage]. In our opinion the best way to solve this is by removing from the scorecard the detail relating to this,” Roddy claimed.

The penalties applied for turf cutting could make commonages ineligible for ACRES, thereby costing farmers between €60/ha and €220/ha.

Extension

In other ACRES-related news, the Department of Agriculture has extended the deadline for planting the winter bird food crop.

“As a result of prolonged adverse weather conditions, an extension has been granted to the establishment deadline for the 2023 winter bird food crop. The final date for planting has been extended to 31 May 2023. This extension applies to 2023 only,” the Department stated in a letter to agricultural consultants.