Space for nature

Do I have to check that my space for nature percentage on agfood.ie is correct?

“Yes. If you have 10 parcels, you’ll see we’ve marked [on your agfood.ie account] a stone wall or a hedge or a bit of scrub. We want you, or your adviser on your behalf, to check all of them to make sure we’re right.”

Boundary hedges

Is a boundary hedge eligible for coppicing in ACRES?

“So, in terms of a boundary hedge, it’s not eligible for the coppicing action [in ACRES]. You must have control of both sides, so unless it’s a public road where you have control of both sides, you can’t put in that specific length of hedge.”

Hen harrier land

Land that was previously in the hen harrier scheme, which is now in the co-operation zone in ACRES. Has that land to be owned or leased under the new ACRES scheme?

“Owned or leased, once you have control of it for the five years. If you score it in year one, it has to be scored in years three and five again.”

Geese and swans

I’m currently in GLAS and I have the geese and swans measure. You can’t graze from 15 October to 1 April. GLAS is finishing now on 31 December, where does that leave me as regards grazing next year. Do I have to wait until 1 April?

“Technically, every contract is ending. So you’re finished on 31 December.”

Riparian zones

On the riparian zones, you can put in up to 2ha and you fence it off permanently from stock. Do you then lose your single farm payment and disadvantaged area payment around that 2ha?

“No. When it’s under the environmental plan, you don’t lose out to ANC or BPS.”

In the ACRES scheme for the riparian zone, has it to be fenced if it’s in callow land? If there is no stock in the area, why would it have to be fenced?

“If that’s designated land you can’t do a riparian zone, because you need to get permission to put up a new fence. If it’s not designated, it’s suitable for that. The objective is fencing off the land from livestock for the full five years. The fence has to go in regardless, if it’s not designated land.”

Selling entitlements

If you’re selling entitlements are you liable for capital gains tax (CGT) and, if so, how is it calculated?

“Yes, they will be subject to CGT.”

Wild bird cover

Is wild bird cover included in space for nature?

“You can’t have wild bird cover [included in Space for Nature calculations if it’s included] in ACRES, you can’t get paid for that in ACRES and count it as credit in space for nature. But what you’re perfectly entitled to do is to get the features around it, if there’s hedges or stone walls around it, and you can do that on the screen. If you select the feature it will give you credit for the stone walls or hedges around it.”

Stone walls

The definition of the word “maintain”, as far as stone walls and hedges are concerned, does it mean maintain a hedge or a wall the way it is the day you apply or have you to go building it or fixing it?

“Maintenance, you have to build the wall back up to maintain it’s stock-proof. You shouldn’t be picking a wall that’s half broken down, that you can’t maintain. We’re not asking for extensive work in this.”

Does concrete in a stone wall rule you out for a traditional stone wall in ACRES?

“Concrete rules you out, yes.”