Game Development

Game Crop - DAFM 'Acres' Wild Bird Cover - Gun Club 2 year mix  - Tidy Towns/ schools small quantity mix

One of the most important aspects of the conservation works carried out by gun clubs and their members is that of sowing cover crops. There are a number of different methods used and different crops used. When the 'GLAS' and now the  'ACRES' Scheme were introduced the farmer got paid for sowing certain cover crops depending on the particular scheme they were in.These crops were highly beneficial to the conservation of all bird life but especially game birds. It provided two of the main stable items required by game birds, food and shelter. 

ACRES is the new agri-environment scheme, part of the Rural Development Programme 2023-2028. ACRES achieves the objectives of Articles 28 and 30 of the Rural Development Regulation and ties in with the green vision for Irish agriculture as contained in Food Harvest 2020 and as promoted by Bord Bia in the Origin Green campaign.

The scheme is green as it preserves our traditional hay meadows and low-input pastures; low-carbon as it retains the carbon stocks in soil through margins, habitat preservation and practices such as minimum tillage; and, agri-environment as it promotes agricultural actions, which introduce or continue to apply agricultural production methods compatible with the protection of the environment, water quality, the landscape and its features, endangered species of flora and fauna and climate change mitigation.

Clubs have been working with farmers that are involved with the ACRES Scheme in different ways around the country, some supply the farmer with the crop while others look to sow some themselves around their release pens and where they want to hold birds. The NARGC for their part supply grant aid towards the cost of the seed up to a maximum  of 25,000 Euros annually.

The NARGC has Partnered with DLF Seeds, Waterford to produce NARGC Mixes compatible with ACRES requirements, and good 2 year mixes for Gun Club purposes. We will also make this Gun club mix available in small quantities to Tidy towns / Schools / Community Groups.

 Clubs wishing to learn more or get involved please do not hesitate o contact us.

See link below for mixes /prices of these mixes for 2024 season;

NARGC Game Crop Mixes /Prices 2024 

For further information contact the NARGC Game Development Committee: 

Chairman Padraig Breen, 087 2838609      gdo@nargc.ie