Skip to main content

Blog Farming

Organisations:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Future Farming Podcast: everything you need to know about the Sustainable Farming Incentive

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: environmental land management schemes, Future Farming Podcast, Sustainable Farming Incentive
Future Farming Podcast: Martin Lines and Jonathan Marsden

In the latest episode of the Future Farming Podcast, Cambridgeshire farmer Martin Lines and Sustainable Farming Incentive lead Jonathan Marsden talk all things Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and environmental land management.

Farm animal health and welfare: help us test the yearly review

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to improve animal health and welfare, Ways to get involved

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway supports improvements in farm animal health and welfare. The first step of the pathway is the Annual Health and Welfare Review. Starting this autumn, farmers who keep cattle, sheep and pigs can get funding to pay for a vet or vet-led team to visit their farm and carry out a yearly review. We’re now ready to put more of the pathway to the test and we need your help.  

Free business advice: next phase to start in October

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Transition support

Any farmer or land manager who receives BPS in England is eligible for free business advice during the early years of the agricultural transition. The current phase of support will close at the end of August. So far, 6,600 farmers have made use of this free advice. The final phase of support will open in October and will be scaled up.

How early roll out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive is going – an early update

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to better understand moorland, Sustainable Farming Incentive

It’s been almost 2 weeks since we opened the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for applications, so we thought now would be a good time to share an update on how it’s going so far. 

Apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments to better understand moorland, Payments to improve soil health, Sustainable Farming Incentive

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is now open for applications via the Rural Payments service. Through the SFI, farmers will be paid for looking after the natural environment in the course of their farming. This initial offer will pay farmers for taking care of their soil or assessing the condition of moorland. In this post, we'll share more about the application process.

The latest from the Fertiliser Taskforce

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: The Fertiliser Taskforce

The Fertiliser Taskforce is made up of representatives from industry bodies and the UK's devolved administrations. The taskforce addresses the impact of global supply pressures on farming. It seeks to improve market confidence and help provide farmers with the information they need to make business decisions on fertiliser use. The second meeting of the Fertiliser Taskforce was chaired by Minister Churchill. In this post, I’ll share a summary of the meeting.

Farming Investment Fund: Adding Value grants open for applications from 9 June

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Payments for equipment, technology and infrastructure
Orchard

Following publication of the Adding Value manual on 23 May, the online checker is now open for you to apply. This £30 million fund offers grants focused on supporting farmers and growers to process, diversify and add value to their eligible agricultural products after they are harvested or reared. It offers grants of between £25,000 and £300,000 for up to 40% of eligible project costs. 

Related content and links

About us

This blog is managed by Defra’s Farming and Countryside Programme.

On this blog, we explain the reforms to agricultural policy in England.

We share what we’re working on, what we’re learning and how you can get involved.

Find out more

Quick links

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions

Funding for farmers, growers and land managers

Farming Innovation Programme 

Talk to us

On 10 May, we’ll be at the Nottinghamshire County Show in Newark. Come and say hello to our team.

You can also find us at these agricultural shows and conferences in 2025.

Get advice

The Farming Advice Service (FAS) provide free, confidential advice to farmers and advisers.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) helps farmers in England protect water, air and soil. CSF advisers can provide advice on best practices and specific actions that will benefit your farm business and the environment.

We’ve compiled a list of organisations offering wellbeing support to those in the farming community.

Webinars in 2025

Attend upcoming webinars and watch recordings.

Sign up and manage updates

Using this blog

Comments, moderation and feedback.

Follow us