Rural News: Further information regarding Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)

Our rural team have spent this morning learning more about the options available under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) following Defra’s announcements for new standards earlier this week. The webinar provided by Defra was really useful in helping us understand more about the standards which will be available for applications later this summer, as well as the interaction between SFI and other existing schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, HLS and SFI Pilot agreements and options for tenant farmers.

SFI will reopen for applications in August, being available to all farmers who were eligible for BPS in 2023. The new SFI offer provides more flexibility for farmers such as the ability to pick and choose actions within the 2022 soil standards, which will be released in three parts later this year, as follows:

SAM1 - Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a plan £5.80/ha plus £95 per agreemen

SAM2 – Multi species winter cover crop £129/ha

SAM3 – Herbal leys £382/ha

There will also be payments of £6.15/ha for Common Land and an increased payment to £151/ha for permanent grassland with very low inputs in SDAs, matching the payment for permanent grassland with very low inputs outside of SDAs.

Farmers with existing SFI agreements will receive direct correspondence from the RPA in relation to termination of existing agreements and options for reapplying under the new scheme rules.

Our rural team would be happy to speak to anyone with queries regarding the new SFI options, for any assistance please contact your local YoungsRPS office.