The deadline to return Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) records in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) has been extended until 14 March 2025. The initial deadline to complete the annual declaration by either an ACRES-approved adviser on behalf of their client, or by the ACRES participant themselves, was 31 December 2024.

The Department has this week written to ACRES-approved advisers, highlighting that “the current position is that a large number of ACRES LESS returns are still outstanding”. This, according to the Department, has resulted in a delay in making the 2024 ACRES advance payments to the relevant participants. A reminder SMS is also being sent to ACRES participants concerned, advising them of the situation.

A spokesperson stated that “in order to give the ACRES participants concerned a further, and final, opportunity to submit their return in respect of 2024, the final date for submission of the LESS returns has been extended to 14 March 2025. Failure to return the LESS declaration by that date will result in the rejection of the LESS action from their ACRES contract”.

The Department advises that any queries in relation to the submission of the LESS return in respect of 2024 may be emailed to acres@agriculture.gov.ie, or to acrescp@agriculture.gov.ie.

Schemes update: final date of 14 March for ACRES LESS declarations

The Department has written to ACRES advisers, urging them and their clients to submit any outstanding declarations, citing that there is still a large number of returns on hold.