Satellites to monitor more ACRES actions
Copernicus Sentinel satellite data will be used to ensure area-based schemes have met eligibility requirements for 2025.
The Department of Agriculture will continue to use the Area Monitoring System (AMS) via satellite data to regularly monitor, track, and assess agricultural activities and practices.
A total of seven ACRES actions will be monitored by AMS in 2025. Brassica Fodder Stubble, Catch Crops, Environmental Management of Arable Fallow, Extensively Grazed Pasture, Riparian Buffer Zone — Arable, Riparian Buffer Zone — Grassland, and Winter Bird Food are all the actions being monitored for 2025.
AMS interprets the satellite imagery, which enables the department to monitor agricultural activities on the 1.3 million declared land parcels in the country.
Parcels monitored by AMS will have colour-coded results: green, yellow, or red. Parcels flagged as green and yellow indicate the farmer's application has been verified by AMS, and payments can be made.
A land parcel flagged as red indicates an error that could result in a message to the farmer via their BISS online account and a delay in payments.
If a land parcel is red, follow-up checks by an on-the-ground inspector are to be expected to provide further clarification. The department may also request the farmer to submit geotagged photographs using AgriSnap, as part of the checks process.
Online amendments can be made to the 2025 BISS application up to May 31, 2025, without incurring a penalty.
Further information relating to AMS and how an applicant should respond if issued with an AMS notification, is available under Section 16 of the BISS terms and conditions.
Read More
New scheme offers 60% support for nutrient storage
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
20 hours ago
- Agriland
2025 cattle export numbers approaching 250,000 head
2025 cattle export numbers to date are approaching 250,000 head, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). As of Sunday, May 25, a total of 247,000 cattle have been exported, which is an increase of 34,000 head of cattle or 16% on the same time last year. 76% of all cattle exports are calves, accounting for almost 188,000 head of total cattle exports. The table below details cattle exports by type in the first 21 weeks of 2023, 2024 and 2025: 2023 2024 2025 2023/25 2024/25 Calves 178,395 165,836 187,985 +5% +13% Weanlings 13,486 12,926 21,196 +57% +64% Stores 8,984 14,965 14,896 +66% – Adult Cattle 14,018 19,405 23,117 +65% +19% Total 214,883 213,132 247,194 +15% +16% Source: DAFM For the purpose of the table above, calves are classified as all cattle under six-weeks-of-age; weanlings are all cattle from six-weeks-of-age to six-months-of-age; store cattle are all cattle from six-months-of-age to 24-months-of-age; and adult cattle are all cattle from 24-months-of-age upwards. There are 16 main countries to which Irish cattle have been exported to this year. Spain, The Netherlands and Northern Ireland are the three largest market destinations followed by Italy, Poland, and Croatia. The table below details total Irish cattle export numbers by market destination for the first 21 weeks of 2023, 2024 and 2025: Country 2023 2024 2025 2024/25 Spain 50,632 61,612 79,502 +29% The Netherlands 96,905 70,185 75,384 +7% Northern Ireland 20,053 21,188 27,899 +32% Italy 23,393 21,045 24,491 +16% Poland 10,369 10,992 20,296 +85% Croatia – 2,808 2,500 -11% Morocco – 7,322 2,302 -69% Great Britain 1,259 2,705 2,149 -21% Greece 770 1,607 1,989 +24% Algeria – 2,037 1,967 -3% Israel – 3,304 1,855 -44% Romania 1,859 4,691 1,479 -68% Hungary 3,047 2,601 1,117 -57% Portugal 239 – 1,063 – Tunisia 125 407 1,001 +146% Lithuania – – 907 – Other 6,232 628 1,293 +106% Total 214,883 213,132 247,194 +16% Source: DAFM This year has seen a firm trade for cattle with Northern Ireland, with exports of Irish cattle across the border up 31% to just under 28,000 head to date this year. Tighter supplies of cattle for slaughter and further feeding north of the border are some of the key factors understood to be attributing to the stronger export levels here this year. The table below details Irish calf exports by market destination for the first 21 weeks of 2023, 2024, and 2025: Destination 2023 2024 2025 2024/25 The Netherlands 96,624 69,924 74,828 +7% Spain 45,665 55,782 65,701 +18% Poland 10,161 10,867 19,831 +82% Italy 17,760 15,251 15,476 +1% Northern Ireland 4,867 4,472 6,590 +47% Croatia – 2,478 1,970 -21% Romania 1,698 4,655 1,386 -70% Hungary 1,318 2,305 855 -63% Portugal – – 586 – Great Britain 2 1 486 – Lithuania – – 273 – Other 300 101 3 -97% Total 178,395 165,836 187,985 +13% Source: DAFM Market sources have told Agriland there is a growing number of beef-sired calves from the dairy herd being exported in line with calf availability. There is also a growing number of heifer calves being exported with 35,500 exported in the first 18 weeks of this year, up from the 16,300 heifer calves exported in the same time period last year.
Agriland
a day ago
- Agriland
780 TAMS tranche 5 applications ‘in progress'
780 applications made under tranche 5 of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS 3) remain to be processed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). According to the latest data published by the department, 4,687 (80%) out of the 5,823 applications submitted under this tranche have now been approved. A further 285 applications have been rejected by the department, while 71 have been withdrawn. The scheme, which is divided across a range of different measures, provides grants to farmers to build or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their farm. The following table provides the latest update on tranche 5 applications for the 10 schemes contained in TAMS 3: TAMS 3 scheme Applications Rejected Withdrawn In progress Approved Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme 1,409 63 26 147 1,173 Dairy Equipment Scheme 115 8 1 20 86 Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme 2,112 122 17 220 1,753 Low Emission Slurry Spreading 516 2 5 3 506 Organic Capital Investment Scheme 359 13 3 45 298 Pig & Poultry Investment Scheme 32 2 1 8 21 Solar Capital Investment Scheme 513 23 4 236 250 Tillage Capital Investment Scheme 203 11 5 11 176 Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme 225 20 1 40 164 Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme 339 21 8 50 260 Total 5,823 285 71 780 4,687 TAMS 3 tranche 5 applications. Source: DAFM The department also confirmed that 156 applications made under tranche 4 are still being processed by the department. 5,254 out of 5,864 applications made under that tranche have been approved. There are 22 applications still outstanding in tranche 3. The department noted that 3,399 of the 3,799 tranche 3 applications have been approved. DAFM is yet to provide an update on the status of applications submitted under tranche 6. Tranche 7 of the scheme opened for applications on March 29 and will close today (Friday, June 6).
Agriland
a day ago
- Agriland
Forestry: 505 felling licences issued so far this year
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued 505 felling licences to forestry owners by the end of May this year. 371 of the licences were granted to private owners, while the remaining 134 related to Coillte forests. The licences issued up to May 30 cover a total area of 6,261ha. In 2024, felling licences were a total of 21,850ha, down from 33,416 in the previous year. Of the 693 felling licences applied for so far in 2025, 520 have been submitted by private owners. Last week, 23 felling licences were issued by the department, down from 26 in the previous week. Forestry In the first five months of the year, 203 afforestation licences were issued relating to 1,580ha. The department said that 166 valid afforestation licences have been submitted this year. A total of 1,242ha of forestry has been planted so far this year, with the highest amount, 378ha, planted in April. The latest forestry dashboard figures from DAFM note that the figures for afforestation planted in 2025 reflect afforestation that has been paid at first grant stage this year to date only, including the Native Area Tree Scheme (NTAS). The government has set an annual target of 8,000ha of new forestry in order to meet climate targets. A total of 261 licences have been issued for 91km of forestry roads – the data shows that 37km of roads have been constructed so far in 2025. There have been 195 licences issued by the department so far this year for the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme, relating to 637ha. 122 licences have been approved for the NTAS (133ha), 44 for the Woodland Improvement Scheme (256ha) and 56 for the Deer Tree Shelter scheme (239ha). Two licences have been issued for the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme this year for 17ha. The department has issued 16 licences for the Climate Resilient Reforestation Scheme covering 91ha.
