# ACRES topping dates 2026: protect your payment before you cut *Published 2026-07-15 by FarmAI Ireland* For ACRES Extensively Grazed Pasture, you must not mow or top before 1 July 2026. Low Input Grassland has its own cutting and scoring rules. The €50-per-hectare late meadow bonus has a separate window for eligible LIG or LIPG parcels. Cut between 1 July and 31 August, then submit the required AgriSnap photo on time. ::: official-advice-banner ACRES rules depend on the action attached to each parcel. Check your approved plan and the current DAFM specification, or ask your ACRES advisor, before you cut. ::: The date is only half the job. The parcel action, close-up period and photo evidence can all affect your payment. These ACRES topping dates cover the main grassland cases, but your approved action remains the final check. Use the table below before starting the topper or mower. ## What are the ACRES topping dates for 2026? | ACRES parcel or action | Earliest relevant date | What you need to know | |---|---:|---| | Extensively Grazed Pasture | 1 July 2026 | Mowing or topping is not permitted before 1 July. | | Low Input Grassland cut for hay or silage | 1 July 2026 | Teagasc advises that LIG selected in ACRES General cannot be cut for hay or silage before 1 July. Check whether scoring is due before cutting. | | Low Input Peat Grassland cut for hay or silage | 1 July 2026 | The late meadow rules use the same opening date for an eligible LIPG meadow. Your parcel must meet the action requirements. | | LIG or LIPG claimed for the late meadow bonus | 1 July to 31 August 2026 | The whole LPIS parcel must be suitable for mowing and committed to the bonus. A six-week close-up and AgriSnap evidence are required. | | Any other ACRES action | Check your plan | Do not apply the 1 July date automatically. Riparian areas, bird actions, margins and Co-operation actions have different specifications. | You can check what action is attached to a parcel in your ACRES plan and annual BISS parcel list. The [FarmAI ACRES hub](/schemes/acres) gathers the main scheme links and plain-English guides in one place. ## Can you top every ACRES field after 1 July? No. The 1 July date removes a particular timing restriction; it does not cancel the rest of your ACRES commitments. Your approved plan still controls what can happen on each parcel. A field may have limits on fertiliser, herbicide, grazing, machinery operations or damage to habitat features. Land in the ACRES Co-operation approach can also have parcel-specific management advice. Before cutting, match the LPIS parcel number on your map to the action in your plan. If the label is unclear, ask your advisor to confirm it in writing. That five-minute check is safer than assuming every extensively managed field has the same rule. For Extensively Grazed Pasture, Teagasc's June 2026 guidance is clear: no mowing or topping before 1 July. The delay allows grasses and flowering plants to complete more of their lifecycle. It helps protect the biodiversity outcome for which the action is paid. ## How does the €50 late meadow bonus work? The late meadow bonus is available on eligible Low Input Grassland and Low Input Peat Grassland parcels. DAFM set the 2026 payment at €50 per hectare. To qualify, all of these conditions matter: 1. The meadow must be closed to grazing and machinery operations for at least six weeks before cutting. 2. You must cut the meadow for hay or silage between 1 July and 31 August 2026. 3. The entire LPIS parcel must be suitable for mowing and committed to the late meadow bonus. 4. DAFM must receive a clear, geotagged photograph through AgriSnap on the cutting date or within five days. 5. You must send the photograph before significant grass regrowth makes the cutting date unclear. The late meadow rule is for parcels mown for hay or silage. It is not a general payment for topping a field. DAFM can use the Area Monitoring System, your AgriSnap submission and an inspection to verify eligibility. If you want to see how this bonus fits with your other actions, use the free [ACRES payment estimator](/tools/acres-estimator). Treat the estimate as a planning figure until your parcel eligibility and score are confirmed. ## When should you take the AgriSnap photo? Take it as soon as the eligible parcel has been mown. DAFM accepts the photograph on the mowing date or within the following five days, but it must arrive before significant regrowth. A practical routine is: 1. Confirm the LPIS parcel number before entering the field. 2. Open AgriSnap while you still have a mobile or data signal. 3. Take a clear photograph showing the mown meadow. 4. Check that the correct request and parcel are selected. 5. Submit it that day and keep a screenshot of the confirmation. Do not rely on a normal phone photograph alone. The official request requires the geotagged submission through AgriSnap. If the app fails, record the date and error, then contact your advisor or DAFM promptly. ## What should you check before starting the topper? Use this short check every time an ACRES parcel is involved: - **Parcel:** Is this the correct LPIS number? - **Action:** Is it EGP, LIG, LIPG or another action? - **Date:** Has the action's no-cut period ended? - **Purpose:** Are you topping, or cutting an eligible meadow for hay or silage? - **Bonus:** If claiming the late meadow bonus, has the six-week close-up been met? - **Evidence:** Is an AgriSnap request waiting, and who will submit it? - **Scoring:** Is the parcel due to be scored before it is cut? Keep the check with your contractor instructions if someone else is doing the work. A contractor may know the field, but they will not know every action in your ACRES plan. ## What if you cut an ACRES parcel too early? Contact your ACRES advisor straight away. Give them the parcel number, action, date and what work happened. Do not alter records or submit a misleading photograph. The consequence depends on the action and the facts of the case. It can affect the payment on that parcel and may require an explanation to DAFM. Early, accurate information gives your advisor the best chance to deal with the issue properly. If the work happened because the action was labelled incorrectly on your parcel list, save the documents that show what you checked. DAFM advised farmers in 2026 to verify that ACRES actions were correctly shown on their BISS parcel list. ## Frequently asked questions **When can you top fields in ACRES?** For Extensively Grazed Pasture, mowing or topping is not permitted before 1 July 2026. These ACRES topping dates do not cover every action. Check the action on the specific parcel before cutting. **Can you cut Low Input Grassland before 1 July?** Low Input Grassland selected in ACRES General cannot be cut for hay or silage before 1 July. If the parcel is due for scoring, ask your advisor whether that should happen before it is cut. **What is the last date for the ACRES late meadow bonus?** The eligible LIG or LIPG meadow must be cut by 31 August 2026. You also need the six-week close-up and a valid AgriSnap photograph submitted on the mowing date or within five days. ## The bottom line Do not work from one date alone. Check the parcel action first, wait until its restriction ends, and complete the evidence while you are still in the field. That protects both the ACRES payment and the €50-per-hectare late meadow bonus. When the work is finished, the next date that matters is the payment run. Our [ACRES payment dates guide](/read/acres-payment-dates-2026-when-the-money-lands) explains the advance, balance and checks to make if money is late. --- ## Sources - [DAFM — Late Meadow Bonus monitoring for 2026](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/press-releases/monitoring-of-eligibility-for-late-meadow-bonus-payment-under-the-agri-climate-rural-environment-scheme-acres/) — Official 2026 dates, close-up period and AgriSnap evidence requirements for the late meadow bonus - [DAFM — ACRES terms, specifications and circulars](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/collections/acres-terms-and-conditions-specifications-and-circulars/) — Current official specifications and 2026 circulars for ACRES actions - [Teagasc — Environment Advisory Newsletter, June 2026](https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/teagasc-environment-advisory-newsletter-june/) — Irish advisory guidance confirming the 1 July restriction for Extensively Grazed Pasture - [DAFM — ACRES scheme](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/services/agri-climate-rural-environment-scheme-acres/) — Official scheme overview, action rates and participant guidance --- *Source: [FarmAI Ireland](https://farmai.ie/read/acres-topping-dates-2026)*