The list of proposed non-productive investments for farmers in the ACRES co-operative approach is now available on the Department of Agriculture's website.

Farmers in the co-operative approach can apply for investments or landscape actions annually and avail of €3,500 a year, over the five years of ACRES.

The three categories of non-productive investments include habitat/wildlife support, infrastructure and scrub/track.

Bat boxes (€846), bracken strimming (€1,670), rodenticide-free rodent control (€1,632) and winter stubble are some of the actions listed under habitat/wildlife support.

Pumps

Meanwhile, pasture pumps (€2,890), barbed wire fencing (€2,600) and scrub removal (€7,392) are among some of the actions in the infrastructure and scrub/track categories.

These actions, according to the Department of Agriculture, aim to address environmental issues on farms, directly contribute to environmental objectives or increase the farmer's capacity to improve field scores through management.

The exact amount of funding available and the associated payment rates are available on the Department's list.

Confirming that ACRES advisers will shortly be able to apply for non-productive investments (NPIs) on behalf of farmers, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said: “The inclusion of a specific approach in identified high environmental priority areas across the country, namely the ACRES co-operation approach, was a major development in the design of ACRES.

"While participants in those areas can earn up to €7,000 each year based on an assessment of the environmental quality of their lands, there is also an opportunity to enhance their lands through access to further funding for NPIs.

"These NPIs are an integral part of the ACRES scheme that will help farmers better manage their lands. Such investment may in turn result in higher scores being achieved for their lands, which should consequently increase their annual results-based payment."

Training

To support advisers with the NPI application process and to ensure that the right action is undertaken in the right place, the Department will shortly be providing training to ACRES advisers in respect of the deployment of NPIs.

It is intended that the system for applying for NPIs on behalf of farmers will open later this month.