Summary
The UK government has relaunched its Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, which pays farmers for environmental work, after an unexpected closure. The new version reduces the number of environmental actions funded and caps individual farm agreements to make them more accessible to different farmers. The scheme aims to balance environmental benefits and food production.
Key Facts
- The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is a reformed scheme for paying English farmers for environmental management.
- The SFI replaced European Union subsidies after Brexit and had temporarily closed in March 2025.
- The new scheme reduces funded environmental actions to 71 from the previous 102.
- Individual farm payments are capped at £100,000 to ensure wider accessibility.
- The goal is to fund actions that support both the environment and food production.
- Priority application in June for smaller farms and those without current agreements.
- The National Farmers' Union (NFU) supports the changes, citing a balance of simplicity and flexibility.
- Concerns about the budget capacity to meet demand remain among farmer associations.
