AREAS OF NATURAL CONSTRAINT SCHEME (ANC) [FORMERLY KNOWN AS LFA/DAS]
Farmers in less favored areas face significant handicaps deriving from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography and poor soil conditions. They tend to have lower farm productivity and higher unit cost production costs than farmers in other areas. Without financial support, these lower returns from farming would pose a significant threat to the future viability of these farming communities. The stated objectives of this scheme are to:
- Ensure continued agricultural land use, thereby contributing to the maintenance of a viable rural society.
- Maintain the countryside.
- Maintain and promoting sustainable farming systems, which in particular take account of environmental protection requirements.
Structure of the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (ANCS)
The ANC scheme operates in much the same way as in the 2007-2013 Less Favored Areas/Disadvantage Areas Scheme (LFC/DAS) programme.
Support is provided based on the following categories of land:
Category 1 land (Mountain Land): The system of farming prevalent in Category 1 is characterised by extensive farming practices focused on livestock management on higher ground.
Category 2 land (More Severely Disadvantaged): The system of farming prevalent in Category 2 is characterised by extensive livestock grazing practices on lower ground.
Category 3 land (Less Severely Disadvantaged): The system of farming prevalent in Category 3 is less extensive in nature and characterised by grazing livestock enterprises.
Offshore island land: Island holdings are generally small and fragmented where the potential for intensification is limited and farming is economically marginal, at best. Farming on the off-shore islands off Ireland is in continuous decline.
Proposed selection
applicants for support will be required to:
· be a registered herdowner.
· occupy and farm a minimum of three hectares of forage land in an ANC area.
· comply with required stocking rates.
· comply with good agricultural and environmental conditions.
Proposed Payment rates for Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme
The previous designated land types of ‘Mountain’, ‘More Severely’ and ‘Less Severe’ are now Category 1, 2 and 3, and the rates are as follows:
| Land Category | Area | Rate/HA |
| Category 1 | 1st 12 ha | €148.00 |
| Category 1 | 13 – 34 ha | €112.00 |
| Category 2 | 1st 10 ha | €111.00 |
| Category 2 | 11 – 30 ha | €104.00 |
| Category 3 | 1st 8 ha | €93.00 |
| Category 3 | 9 – 30 ha | €88.25 |
Applicants maintaining a combination of Category 1, 2 and 3 land, will be paid up to a maximum of 30 hectares except where the area of Category 1 land declared is between 30 and 34 hectares. In these cases, the payment will be based on the number of hectares of Category 1 land declared.
Payment will be made in the order of Category 1, then Category 2 and lastly Category 3. This is to maximise the amount which can be paid to an applicant.
Rates payable for each hectare are as follows:
| Area Designation | Payment Rates | Payable Area |
| Island Farming | €250.00 | Up to and including the first 20 hectares |
| Island Farming | €170.00 | Greater than 20 hectares or less than or equal to 34 hectares |
| Island Farming | €70.00 | Greater than 34 hectares or less than or equal to 40 hectares |
You can claim for a maximum of 40 hectares.
Disadvantaged areas Breakdown on County Basis: (click on relevant county)
– Carlow
– Cavan
– Clare
– Cork
– Donegal
– Dublin
– Galway
– Kerry
– Kildare
– Kilkenny
– Laois
– Leitrim
– Limerick
– Longford
– Louth
– Mayo
– Meath
– Monaghan
– Offaly
– Roscommon
– Sligo
– Tipperary
– Waterford
– Westmeath
– Wexford
– Wicklow
Parcel Assessment Form
Where an applicant believes that there are recognised habitat, environmental, biodiversity or climatic constraints on their holding which will prevent them from meeting their stocking density requirements, applicants can have their land assessed by an approved FAS advisor and return a completed Parcel Assessment Form to the Department. This form is available here.
For queries on your ANC eligibility, contact:
Areas of Natural Constraints
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois , R32 PRA6
Email: DirectPaymentsCorrespondence@agriculture.gov.ie
Phone number: +353 (0) 57 86 74422