ACRES 2026: the plain-English guide to what you're entitled to

ACRES pays Irish farmers for environmental management: up to €7,311 a year on the General track and up to €10,500 on the Co-operation track. As of August 2026, both tranches are closed to new applicants, with no third tranche planned under the current CAP. Existing participants continue as normal. Balancing payments for 2025 began issuing from late May 2026, and 2026 advances are due from November.

You've probably heard the figure thrown around at the mart or the co-op: ACRES payments of up to €10,500 a year. That's real money. But you've also heard the complaints — the forms are thick, the rules aren't clear, and half the parish isn't sure what they actually qualify for.

Here's the thing. ACRES isn't as complicated as it looks once you strip away the Department-speak. This guide walks you through what the scheme pays, what you're likely eligible for, and the mistakes that cost farmers money every year.

What ACRES actually is

ACRES stands for the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme. It's the Department of Agriculture's (DAFM) main agri-environment programme under the current CAP.

In plain terms: you get paid to manage parts of your farm in ways that protect water, soil, habitats, and biodiversity. You're not being asked to stop farming. You're being paid to farm with certain practices on certain areas of your land.

Over 50,000 farmers are already in the scheme. If you're not one of them, it's worth understanding what you might be leaving on the table.

Two tiers: General vs Co-operation Projects

ACRES has two tracks. Which one you're in depends mainly on where your farm is located.

ACRES General covers most of the country. You choose from a menu of environmental measures that suit your land. Payments are based on what measures you take on and how much area you commit, up to a ceiling of €7,311 per year.

ACRES Co-operation Projects (CP) cover priority areas — places with high biodiversity value, important habitats, or sensitive water catchments. Payments here are higher, up to €10,500 per year including non-productive investments, because the environmental commitments are greater and you work alongside a local Co-operation Project Team.

Your Teagasc advisor or approved ACRES planner can tell you which track applies to your holding. Don't guess — check.

One thing to know as of August 2026: both tranches are full and closed to new applicants, and DAFM has indicated there are no plans for a third tranche under the current CAP. If you're already in, your commitments and payments continue — 2025 advance payments issued from early November, and balancing payments began issuing from late May 2026. Everything we've published on the scheme is gathered on our ACRES hub.

What does each ACRES measure pay?

This is where most farmers' eyes glaze over. The DAFM rate card lists dozens of measures, each with its own payment per hectare, per metre, or per unit. Here are the ones that apply to the most farms, straight from the official rate card:

These stack. A 40-hectare farm with hedgerows, a stream margin, and low-input grassland on even a portion of the holding can build a meaningful annual payment — up to the €7,311 General ceiling.

Want to run your own numbers? Our free ACRES Payment Estimator uses these exact rates — pick your actions, enter your areas, and see the estimate in about a minute.

Key point: payment rates are set by DAFM and reviewed periodically. Always check the current rate card on gov.ie before making decisions.

How do you check what you're eligible for?

You don't need to figure this out alone. Here's the practical path:

1. Contact your local Teagasc office or an approved ACRES planner. They'll assess your farm and tell you which measures fit your land type, soil, and existing features.

2. Look at your LPIS maps. Your land parcel maps already show field boundaries, water features, and habitat areas. Your planner uses these to build your ACRES Farm Sustainability Plan.

3. Think about what's already on your farm. Got a hedgerow you maintain? A wet field you don't plough? A stream running through your land? These are the features ACRES pays for. You're often being paid for things you're already half-doing.

4. Check the DAFM scheme terms for the current tranche. Deadlines, eligible actions, and payment caps can change between years. The Citizens Information site gives a good plain-English overview.

Five mistakes that cost farmers money

These come up every year. They're all avoidable.

1. Not declaring all eligible measures. Some farmers pick one or two measures and leave it at that. Your planner should walk every field with you. A missed hedgerow or an undeclared watercourse margin is money left behind.

2. Missing the deadline. ACRES tranches have firm closing dates. If you miss the window, you wait another year. Put the date in your phone the day it's announced.

3. Not keeping records throughout the year. ACRES requires annual evidence — photos, dates, records of work done. Doing this at year-end from memory is stressful and error-prone. Keep a simple log as you go.

4. Misunderstanding the scoring system. In the CP track especially, your score determines your payment level. Higher-scoring actions and commitments mean higher payments. Ask your planner to explain what drives your score up — and do those things first.

5. Assuming your planner caught everything. Planners are busy. They handle hundreds of plans. You know your land better than anyone. Walk it before your planner visits. Note every hedge, ditch, wet corner, and nesting area. The more you bring to the table, the better your plan — and your payment.

How AI tools can help you prepare

AI won't fill in your ACRES plan. It won't replace your Teagasc advisor. But it can save you real hours on the preparation work. Here's how.

Cross-check your measures against the rate card. Paste your list of farm features and current measures into an AI assistant. Ask it to match each one against the DAFM rate card and flag anything you might be missing. It won't be perfect, but it's a fast second pair of eyes.

Build your record-keeping template. Tell an AI assistant your ACRES measures and ask it to create a monthly checklist of what evidence you need to collect. Print it. Stick it on the fridge. Done.

Draft your farm description. Every ACRES plan needs a written description of your farm. AI is good at taking your rough notes — "60 hectares, mostly dry, 20 sucklers, stream on the west side, three mature hedgerows" — and turning them into a clear paragraph your planner can use.

Understand the jargon. If a letter from the Department uses terms you're not sure about — "riparian buffer zone", "results-based scoring", "non-productive investment" — paste it into an AI assistant and ask for a plain-English explanation. Faster than Googling. More specific than a glossary.

Important: AI tools don't have access to your LPIS maps, your parcel data, or the Department's scoring algorithms. Never rely on AI for specific payment calculations or eligibility decisions. Use it for the preparation and paperwork — leave the official plan to your planner.

Common questions

How much does ACRES pay per year?

Up to €7,311 on the General track and up to €10,500 on the Co-operation track. What you actually get depends on the measures in your plan and, for results-based actions like low-input grassland, your field scores.

Is ACRES open to new applicants in 2026?

No. Both tranches are full, and DAFM has indicated there are no plans for a third tranche under the current CAP. Existing participants continue with their annual commitments and payments as normal.

When are ACRES payments made?

Advance payments normally issue from November, with balancing payments the following year. For the 2025 scheme year, advances began in early November 2025 and balancing payments began issuing from late May 2026. Advances for the 2026 scheme year are due from November 2026.

Where to get help

• Your local Teagasc office — they run ACRES planning clinics and can assign you an advisor. Find yours at teagasc.ie.
• An approved ACRES planner — your Teagasc advisor can recommend one, or check the DAFM list of registered planners.
• DAFM ACRES page — the official scheme details, rate cards, and deadline dates are at gov.ie.
• Citizens Information — a clear overview of ACRES and other agri-environment schemes in plain language.
• Your local IFA or ICMSA branch — they often run information evenings when new tranches open.

What to do this week

Don't wait until the next tranche deadline is breathing down your neck. Here's what you can do right now:

1. Ring your Teagasc office and ask if you're in an ACRES Co-operation Project area. If you are, the higher payments may apply to you.
2. Walk your farm with a notebook. List every hedgerow, watercourse, wet area, and piece of rough ground. This is your starting inventory.
3. Check the DAFM ACRES page for the current tranche status and closing date.
4. If you're already in ACRES, review your plan. Are there measures you could add? Features you didn't declare last time? Talk to your planner before the next review window.

ACRES is one of the best-paying schemes available to Irish farmers right now. The paperwork is manageable if you prepare. And with the right help — human and digital — you won't leave money on the table.