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England's SFI Relaunches: A Boost for Farmers & Environment
25 Feb
Summary
- England's Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) reopens after March 2025 closure.
- Scheme is smaller, with 71 environmental actions and a £100,000 cap.
- Funding research, innovation, and technology with £120 million.
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in England is being relaunched following its sudden closure in March 2025. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds announced the reopening, emphasizing that the scheme will now support food production alongside environmental benefits. The reformed SFI will feature 71 paid-for environmental actions, a reduction from the previous 102, with individual farm agreements capped at £100,000. This aims to ensure more equitable funding distribution and greater accessibility for a wider range of farmers, particularly tenant farmers. Payments for moorland grazing will see an increase. Smaller farms and those without existing agreements will be prioritized for applications starting in June, with others able to apply in September. This initiative comes after the SFI was criticized for concentrating a significant portion of funding among a small percentage of farms. In addition to the SFI, the government is allocating £120 million towards research, innovation, and the adoption of cutting-edge technology within the agricultural sector. This investment is intended to bolster the productivity, profitability, and resilience of British farm businesses.
