DAFM issues update on 2025 ACRES scorecards
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has issued an update on the scoring of lands under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) this year.
In a circular to advisors, the department said that scorecards for ACRES participants (in both tranches) whose contracts include non-commonage results-based actions are planned for issue by the department from Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
The scorecards cover the low input grassland action, the low input peat grassland action and holdings covered by the ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) approach.
The department told advisors that the deadline for return of completed scorecards is August 31, 2025.
ACRES
DAFM noted that for the scores submitted to be deemed valid and used in the determination of ACRES payments in respect of 2025, they must be submitted by an approved ACRES advisor who has completed mandatory in-field scorecard training in 2025.
Advisors who have completed this training before are required to attend a refresher course in 2025.
There will also be mandatory scorecard training courses provided for new ACRES advisors who were only approved since the provision of scorecard training in 2024.
The department outlined that the training courses will take place across a range of dates and locations, with the majority taking place from May 27 to June 16.
DAFM urged advisors to book into their preferred course as soon as possible 'as no further courses are being scheduled'.
'Scorecards submitted by advisors who have not completed the mandatory scorecard training will not pass prepayment validations when the relevant ACRES contracts are being processed for payment and will result in the ACRES participant not being paid for the action(s) in question and may result in the rejection of these action(s) from their contracts,' the department added.
Soil sample results
Meanwhile, the department has reminded advisors that the final date for the uploading of the soil sample results, or a soil sample exemption form, for ACRES tranche 1 contracts is this Wednesday (April 30).
DAFM said that soil sampling is a key requirement of the agri-environmental scheme.
'The penalty for non-submission of soil sampling results/soil sample exemption form is a review of the continued participation of your client in the scheme, with a possibility of termination of contract and recoupment of monies paid,' it said.
The relevant documents must be uploaded on the ACRES system by an approved ACRES advisor, documents submitted by post or email will not be accepted.
Soil samples taken on or after January 1, 2022 will be considered valid.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
13-06-2025
- Agriland
Q&A: What to expect from trade mission to Republic of Korea and Japan?
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon is leading a major agri-food government trade mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan, for which Bord Bia – the Irish Food Board – will play a significant role. Joe Moore, manager of the Bord Bia Tokyo office outlined how the board will assist the minister in building trade ties with the South Korean and Japanese markets. What is your role within Bord Bia? I am the manager of the Tokyo office, responsible for the Japanese and South Korean markets. What are the main Irish food and drink exports to your region? Ireland exports meat (beef, pork, and lamb), dairy, seafood, drinks, and also a small amount of consumer foods to both countries. Japan is one of the world's biggest cheese importers, so this is the biggest single export item from Ireland. In South Korea, we are delighted to see beef export growing after receiving access last year. How is the market performing currently? What's impacting it? Export value to both markets in 2024 was €199 million. This was a 7% decline year-on -ear, mainly due to a decrease in dairy exports to Japan. There have been challenges with inflation and a weakened yen, but the long-term trend is growth – exports have nearly doubled over the past decade, which is remarkable. Other sectors are performing well, and in particular Japan remains a key market for our beef suppliers. Wages are increasing, and tourism is booming. These factors should push things forwards. Trade mission to Republic of Korea and Japan The minister and Bord Bia are in Korea and Japan this week. What's the plan for the trip? Bord Bia has organised a series of meetings between Korean and Japanese buyers and Irish exporters. Having a minister at these meetings adds real weight, especially in Japan and South Korea where seniority and official presence are highly valued. We have timed this trade mission to coincide with the start of the Seoul Food trade show in Korea, and again having Minister Heydon present will attract new customers. Minister Heydon will also meet government counterparts to discuss expanding market access. Irish drinks companies are keen to grow in Japan, and Bord Bia is hosting a networking event with local distributors to support this. We're also launching Asia's first Chefs' Irish Beef Club chapter—an invite-only group of top chefs who champion Irish beef. As a marketing tool it has proven successful in Europe and the UAE, and we've chosen three high-profile Japanese chefs to join the club. Joe Moore (second from left) with Korean beef buyers on John Purcell's farm last summer. Source: Bord Bia What role does sustainability and Quality Assurance play in marketing Irish meat and dairy in your region? The Republic of Korea and Japan are markets that operate on high quality. The customer has extremely high standards and being able to present our grassfed production system, backed up by Quality Assurance, is an excellent platform. For a long time the key message within sustainability that has resonated in these markets has been sustainability of supply. As import dependent markets, and being risk averse, they prefer suppliers that can build long-term relationships and provide year-on-year. More recently we are having conversations about environmental sustainability with the bigger blue chip customers. Again having Origin Green as a platform to speak to Ireland's sustainability credentials is a key differentiator for us. How do consumer preferences and trends in your region influence the demand for Irish meat and dairy? The food culture and local consumption habits can complement our other markets nicely. For example, in Korea they love braised/stewed dishes and use a lot of short rib. And of course in Japan they love grilled beef tongue, which makes it a very valuable market for tongue. Then for dairy, Japanese people tend to enjoy the lighter flavour of processed cheese rather than anything too mature. But the manufacturers need a high quality, functional cheese to produce this processed cheese, so this provides a great opportunity for the Irish processors who meet this need. How do you collaborate with local distributors, retailers, and foodservice providers to increase Irish market presence? Our efforts are focused on business development at a trade level. A key activity are buyer visits to Ireland –bringing customers to Ireland to let them see first-hand our family farms, our factories, and our produce. I brought a group of Korean beef buyers back home in July last year. One of them is now an established customer, and we'll be meeting them during the trade mission with Minister Heydon.
Irish Post
12-06-2025
- Irish Post
Three Japanese chefs inducted into Bord Bia's Irish Beef Club
THREE Japanese chefs have been inducted into Bord Bia's Chef's Irish Beef Club. The Irish food board was in Tokyo this week, where it established the first Asian branch of the Club, which promotes the use of Irish beef across the globe. Currently there are thriving branches of the club in operation across Europe and the Middle East. Now Bord Bia has extended its reach to Japan, welcoming three renowned Japanese chefs as its inaugural members in Asia. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, Chef Yuji Hayashi, Chef Yuki Inoue, Chef Kenzo Nishizawa and Bord Bia CEO Jim O'Toole pictured at the launch Yuji Hayashi, of The Momentum by Porsche, Yuki Inoue of Ristorante La Bisboccia, and Kenzo Nishizawa, of Trattoria Da Kenzo, were formally inducted into the international club at The Momentum by Porsche restaurant in Tokyo. The official launch took place as part of the Irish government's trade mission to Japan led by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon. 'Irish beef is growing in strength in Japan and launching the Chefs' Irish Beef Club here in Tokyo is testament to how well premium Irish beef is received on the global stage,' Minister Heydon said. 'The voluntary endorsement of Irish beef by three prestigious Japanese chefs underscores the exceptional quality of meat from Ireland,' he added. Chef Yuji Hayashi, who has worked as the Executive Chef at Momentum, the world's first Porsche-approved restaurant in Tokyo, for the last four years, said his appointment to the Chefs' Irish Beef Club (CIBC) was 'an honour'. 'I'm delighted to host Ireland's Minister of Agriculture today, and serve him and the group some beautiful Irish beef here in Tokyo,' he added. 'When I visited Ireland I realised how good the animal welfare was, it was amazing to see cattle living a stress-free life on the greenest grass.' Bord Bia CEO Jim O'Toole said taste profiles are changing in Japan and that Irish grass fed beef is now highly desired by Japanese consumers. 'Historically, Japanese consumers have a preference for grain fed beef over grass fed, due to the reputation of their own grain-fed Wagyu beef, but Bord Bia's market insights show that this is changing,' he said. 'There is increasing evidence that Japanese consumers enjoy the taste, flavour and smell of Irish grass fed beef,' he added. 'The fact that some of Japan's most prestigious chefs are now cooking with Irish beef is a strong endorsement of the quality and reputation of Irish beef from farm to fork, and marks the beginning of a new chapter in the promotion of Irish beef in Japan. See More: Bord Bia, Chefs Irish Beef Club, Japan, Tokyo
Agriland
12-06-2025
- Agriland
'No plans to transfer the national forest estate to NPWS'
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has said that he has 'no plans' to transfer Coillte's forestry holdings to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). In a parliamentary question this week (June 2025) People Before Profit-Solidarity TD, Richard Boyd Barrett asked Minister Heydon if he would consider the move 'to ensure that Ireland's forestry will be preserved for non-commercial use and biodiversity will be conserved'. Minister Heydon highlighted that Coillte was established as a commercial state company with private limited status under the Forestry Act 1988, to become custodian and manager of the national forest estate. The minister explained that a principal object of the company, set out in the Forestry Act, is to carry on the business of forestry and related activities on a commercial basis, and in accordance with efficient silvicultural practices. He said: 'The focus at the time when the company was established was to put the estate in the charge of a company that would realise its potential and support wood production. 'Coillte is currently managing 440,000 hectares of land, 7% of the total area of the Republic of Ireland. 'Coillte's role has evolved over time to reflect the company's important role in addressing the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the forestry sector and our rural economy,' Minister Heydon added. Minister Martin Heydon According to Minister Heydon, one-fifth of Coillte's forestry estate, or 90,000ha, is currently managed primarily for biodiversity. 'The current legislation governing the mandate of Coillte, together with government policy, the existing shareholder letter of expectations, existing national and EU legislation, along with Coillte's own strategic vision, ensures that climate action and the protection and enhancement of nature and biodiversity are integral to the company's role and operations,' the minister said. He also claims that Coillte has a long term 'ambition' to manage 30% of its estate primarily for nature and biodiversity. As a result, Minister Heydon said that he believes that Coillte's role as custodian and manager of the national forest estate should remain unchanged.
