The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has stated that it is the Department of Agriculture’s responsibility to tell commonage farmers how much they were due to be paid for 2023 Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) participation before any repayments are made.

The hill farmers’ group reported an increase in the number of calls it has received from frustrated and angry farmers after the Department sent letters to around 6,000 farmers outlining how much they were overpaid when interim ACRES payments issued in spring.

Farmers are left unable to challenge these overpayment claims when they do not know the actual sum they were due to be paid for participating in the scheme for 2023, INHFA president Vincent Roddy said.

The INHFA president added that some farmers believe the amount listed as being in overpayment is excessive, but these farmers have no recourse to challenge the Department without a breakdown of habitat scores.

Surprise

“While some farmers had expected these letters following the issuing of their payment status on the agfood.ie portal, there are many others where the letter has come as a surprise,” Roddy commented.

“However, the letters are only part of the problem, because for many farmers these letters and the sum of money detailed for recovery come without a reference point, which is a major issue.

“Where money is being recovered, there an onus on the person or institution to provide detailed clarity with regard to how this overpayment has occurred.

“In this instance, the habitat scorecard is the basis to assess if there is and at what level an overpayment has been made.”

Scorecards

The INHFA leader raised broader frustrations with the results of 2023’s habitat scores not being made available to farmers as scoring enters its second year.

Roddy called on the Department to immediately release the results to farmers, as the results-based element of ACRES is “critical information” farmers need on the scheme and its payments.

“From once farmers have these scores, they will be in a position to decide if they want to challenge the recovery of all or some of the over-payments the Department have outlined in their recent letters.

“There is a strong opinion among some farmers that the overpayment detailed by the DAFM is excessive, with many believing that they are still owed money.”

If the Department does not get a handle on these issues, “the entire scheme could unravel because there are farmers that are already looking to leave ACRES,” according to Roddy.