Farmers in Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) co-operation project areas could be offered additional payments to rewet peat soils before the end of the year in a bid to cut emissions.
The newly published 2025 Climate Action Plan states that 180,000ha of privately-owned farmland on peat soils have been scored under ACRES in addition to 420,000ha of commonage lands.
The plan goes on to state that ACRES complementary landscape actions - separate to the scheme’s non-productive investment funding category - will open to applications later this year in co-operation zones.
The plan says this “will actively facilitate blocking peat drains where that is appropriate, and ultimately led by farmers’ willingness to engage”.
Rewetting is among a host of measures planned for roll-out in a bid to meet agriculture’s 25% greenhouse gas emissions reduction target by 2030.
The updated Climate Action Plan puts emissions reduction progress at 4.6% or 1.0 MtCO2eq to 20.782 MtCO2eq in 2023 when compared with the previous year.
“However, the total reduction from the 2018 baseline to 2023 is provisionally 2.9%, making the achievement of the 2030 target of a 25% reduction a significant challenge,” the plan states.
Carbon farming
Separate to ACRES rewetting actions, the 2025 Climate Action Plan points towards the Midlands Carbon Catchment study now under review as a project that is assessing how to bring private funding into carbon farming.
The study is piloting carbon farming on peat soils by testing different payment models and establishing a trusted measurement, reporting and verification process for assessing carbon sequestration.
It says that significant land use change requires “certainty and long-term support”, including the establishment of the most appropriate funding framework for farmers.
The third quarter of 2025 is listed as the deadline to have commenced the “process to secure relevant funding and if successful, initiate the development of projects/schemes to deliver measures, where applicable” for reduced management intensity of grassland on drained organic soils.
The plan also states that funding is to be allocated for mapping the drainage status of peat soils.
Protected urea
On fertiliser, the climate plan commits to exploring “industry measures” to boost the use of protected urea in favour of CAN.
It states that work must be undertaken with all stakeholders to achieve “behavioural change in terms of fertiliser choice”.
Quarterly fertiliser sales data is to be published to help monitor progress on protected urea’s share of the fertiliser market.
Other actions for 2025
Begin consideration of options and issues relating to the eventual use of approved feed additives and ingredients by farmers.
Roll out a wider pilot programme for the incorporation of methane reducing additives (enteric and manure) within the Signpost dairy farms.
Include the incentivisation of new hedgerows and the improved management of 75,000km of hedgerows as measures for consideration in the development of the next CAP strategic plan.
Facilitate and encourage exchange of organic manure between livestock and tillage farmers to deliver manure application to 115,000ha of cropland.
Tackle the challenge of securing access to and cost of feed in the organic livestock sector, particularly in relation to organic milling.
Develop a mechanism to assess the abatement credentials of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CSP) schemes.
The Climate Action Plan targets an average age at slaughter of 24-25 months for prime cattle this year. \ Ciara Wilkinson
An additional 30,000ha must also be found over the coming months to expand organic farming if the 250,000ha target laid out in the plan for this year is to be met.
Opportunities
The reopening of the Organic Farming Scheme is stated to be among the measures with significant potential to create opportunities for Irish farmers to diversify their farming enterprises.
The plan lists taking action on the “challenge of securing access to and cost of feed in the organic livestock sector, particularly in relation to organic milling” as a measure to be undertaken this year.
Establishing current organic feed costs and identifying “price pinch points” is to be completed to feed into a framework aimed at reducing cost, with a target publication deadline set for the end of 2025.
Plan
Organic farming actions appear in the plan under the heading of diversification, which is the same area that targets the construction of “up to 20 anaerobic digestion plants of scale”.
Farmers in Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) co-operation project areas could be offered additional payments to rewet peat soils before the end of the year in a bid to cut emissions.
The newly published 2025 Climate Action Plan states that 180,000ha of privately-owned farmland on peat soils have been scored under ACRES in addition to 420,000ha of commonage lands.
The plan goes on to state that ACRES complementary landscape actions - separate to the scheme’s non-productive investment funding category - will open to applications later this year in co-operation zones.
The plan says this “will actively facilitate blocking peat drains where that is appropriate, and ultimately led by farmers’ willingness to engage”.
Rewetting is among a host of measures planned for roll-out in a bid to meet agriculture’s 25% greenhouse gas emissions reduction target by 2030.
The updated Climate Action Plan puts emissions reduction progress at 4.6% or 1.0 MtCO2eq to 20.782 MtCO2eq in 2023 when compared with the previous year.
“However, the total reduction from the 2018 baseline to 2023 is provisionally 2.9%, making the achievement of the 2030 target of a 25% reduction a significant challenge,” the plan states.
Carbon farming
Separate to ACRES rewetting actions, the 2025 Climate Action Plan points towards the Midlands Carbon Catchment study now under review as a project that is assessing how to bring private funding into carbon farming.
The study is piloting carbon farming on peat soils by testing different payment models and establishing a trusted measurement, reporting and verification process for assessing carbon sequestration.
It says that significant land use change requires “certainty and long-term support”, including the establishment of the most appropriate funding framework for farmers.
The third quarter of 2025 is listed as the deadline to have commenced the “process to secure relevant funding and if successful, initiate the development of projects/schemes to deliver measures, where applicable” for reduced management intensity of grassland on drained organic soils.
The plan also states that funding is to be allocated for mapping the drainage status of peat soils.
Protected urea
On fertiliser, the climate plan commits to exploring “industry measures” to boost the use of protected urea in favour of CAN.
It states that work must be undertaken with all stakeholders to achieve “behavioural change in terms of fertiliser choice”.
Quarterly fertiliser sales data is to be published to help monitor progress on protected urea’s share of the fertiliser market.
Other actions for 2025
Begin consideration of options and issues relating to the eventual use of approved feed additives and ingredients by farmers.
Roll out a wider pilot programme for the incorporation of methane reducing additives (enteric and manure) within the Signpost dairy farms.
Include the incentivisation of new hedgerows and the improved management of 75,000km of hedgerows as measures for consideration in the development of the next CAP strategic plan.
Facilitate and encourage exchange of organic manure between livestock and tillage farmers to deliver manure application to 115,000ha of cropland.
Tackle the challenge of securing access to and cost of feed in the organic livestock sector, particularly in relation to organic milling.
Develop a mechanism to assess the abatement credentials of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CSP) schemes.
The Climate Action Plan targets an average age at slaughter of 24-25 months for prime cattle this year. \ Ciara Wilkinson
An additional 30,000ha must also be found over the coming months to expand organic farming if the 250,000ha target laid out in the plan for this year is to be met.
Opportunities
The reopening of the Organic Farming Scheme is stated to be among the measures with significant potential to create opportunities for Irish farmers to diversify their farming enterprises.
The plan lists taking action on the “challenge of securing access to and cost of feed in the organic livestock sector, particularly in relation to organic milling” as a measure to be undertaken this year.
Establishing current organic feed costs and identifying “price pinch points” is to be completed to feed into a framework aimed at reducing cost, with a target publication deadline set for the end of 2025.
Plan
Organic farming actions appear in the plan under the heading of diversification, which is the same area that targets the construction of “up to 20 anaerobic digestion plants of scale”.
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