The deadline to produce at least one progeny registered with a relevant breed society has been extended from the end of year three to the end of year five.
The amendments apply to farmers in tranche one and tranche two of ACRES. \ Claire Nash
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The Department of Agriculture’s Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) section has announced two amendments to the conservation of rare breeds action.
The timeline to produce at least one progeny from at least one of the breeds selected and which is registered with the relevant breed society has been amended from the end of year three of a farmer’s contract to the end of year five.
The second amendment concerns the number of females for which a registered progeny must be produced.
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The previous specifications stated that “breeding females must produce at least one registered offspring before the end of the contract, otherwise there will be full clawback” for cattle or horses, while for sheep, the specifications stated “breeding females must produce at least two registered offspring before the end of the contract, otherwise there will be full clawback”.
There is now no need for each adult breeding female as described above to produce the stated number of registered offspring before the end of the contract.
Rare breeds declaration
A technical note released by the Department this week added that “while the deadline for the submission of the annual declaration for the conservation of rare breeds action, under ACRES, in respect of 2024 was 15 November 2025, outstanding returns must be submitted, using the ACRES rare breeds online portal on the AgFood system, by 28 February 2026. The penalty for non-submission of an annual declaration for the conservation of rare breeds action is the rejection of that action from the participants’ ACRES contract.”
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Title: Two amendments to ACRES rare breeds action
The deadline to produce at least one progeny registered with a relevant breed society has been extended from the end of year three to the end of year five.
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The Department of Agriculture’s Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) section has announced two amendments to the conservation of rare breeds action.
The timeline to produce at least one progeny from at least one of the breeds selected and which is registered with the relevant breed society has been amended from the end of year three of a farmer’s contract to the end of year five.
The second amendment concerns the number of females for which a registered progeny must be produced.
The previous specifications stated that “breeding females must produce at least one registered offspring before the end of the contract, otherwise there will be full clawback” for cattle or horses, while for sheep, the specifications stated “breeding females must produce at least two registered offspring before the end of the contract, otherwise there will be full clawback”.
There is now no need for each adult breeding female as described above to produce the stated number of registered offspring before the end of the contract.
Rare breeds declaration
A technical note released by the Department this week added that “while the deadline for the submission of the annual declaration for the conservation of rare breeds action, under ACRES, in respect of 2024 was 15 November 2025, outstanding returns must be submitted, using the ACRES rare breeds online portal on the AgFood system, by 28 February 2026. The penalty for non-submission of an annual declaration for the conservation of rare breeds action is the rejection of that action from the participants’ ACRES contract.”
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