Update for Participants on Both Approaches of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) wishes to advise farmers participating in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) of the following updates.
1. Conservation of Rare Breeds 2025 Portal Opens
The Annual Declaration for the Conservation of Rare Breeds action is now available for completion on the ACRES Rare Breeds online portal through the AgFood system.
The declaration may be completed by either:
The participant's ACRES Advisor
The participant themselves.
As outlined in the ACRES Specifications, payment for this action is made in arrears and is based on the monthly average livestock units (LU) of owned registered animals during the previous recording year.
To make a claim, the following documentation is required:
Proof of membership of the relevant breed society.
Identification documents and certificates issued by the relevant breed society for each registered animal.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for payment under the Conservation of Rare Breeds action, participants must have at least 0.10 Livestock Units (LU) eligible for payment each year.
The Department will issue an SMS notification to all ACRES participants with an approved Conservation of Rare Breeds action, advising them that the Rare Breeds portal is now open.
2. Deadline for Non-Productive Investments (NPI) 2026 Annual Works Plans
Participants of the Co-operation approach are reminded that the application window for NPI 2026 AWPs is open until the 14 October 2026. It should be noted that for Tranche 1 participants, those whose contracts began on 1 January 2023, this will be the last opportunity to apply for NPIs during their contracts which will expire on 31 December 2027
ACRES advisors may complete and submit NPI Annual Works Plans (AWP) through the Generic Land Management (GLAM) mapping system maintained by DAFM and accessible through MyAgfood.
The revised NPI Specification Document is available on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine website and can be downloadedhere.
Please also note that:
• Only one NPI-AWP may be submitted for an ACRES Co-operation participant in this application window.
• The NPI-AWP and application may be only amended at draft stage. Once submitted, it will not be possible to amend further.
• The closing date for the submission of application for NPIs in this (the 2026 NPI Application) window is Wednesday, 14 October 2026.