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The Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot: learning together

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm, Conversations we're having, Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot
A gathering of pilot participants on a farm

Farmers across England are helping us to test the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) through the SFI pilot. In this post, I’ll share a snapshot of what we’ve learned from pilot participants through on-farm and large-scale, regional face-to-face events.

Environmental land management schemes: details of actions and payments

Hele, Mid Devon District photograph by Alison Day

We recently published more information on the rollout of our environmental land management schemes. It includes the full range of actions, payment rates and when they’ll be available. This post gives a scheme-by-scheme summary.

Watch: Getting the balance right between farming and nature

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: A view from the farm, Sustainable Farming Incentive

This is the third in a series of films exploring how environmental improvements and farming go hand in hand in the Lake District. Local farm facilitator Danny Teasdale talks with auctioneer and Managing Director of The Farmer Network, Adam Day, about the importance of building environmental solutions that fit with farmers’ businesses.

Introducing SFI Management Payments and changes to Countryside Stewardship rates

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Countryside Stewardship, Sustainable Farming Incentive, Things we've learned
Winter scene on the Killerton estate by Alison Day

In this, the first blog post of the year, I’d like to share two updates with you and explain the rationale behind them. The first update is a change to Countryside Stewardship payment rates. The second is the introduction of the Sustainable Farming Incentive Management Payment.

Sustainable Farming Incentive: more farmers can apply without being invited

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: environmental land management schemes, Things we're doing
Farmland pastoral scene in Bradninch, Devon.

From 1 September, if you have land in a Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship agreement, but not on common land, you can now apply online directly by signing into the Rural Payments service.

Future Farming Podcast: everything you need to know about the 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.

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

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.

How we’re making sure all farm businesses can fairly access money released from Basic Payments

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

The government has committed to maintain the farming budget for England at £2.4 billion per year throughout this parliament. We will be gradually reducing spending on Basic Payments each year over the next 6 years. Instead, we will make the money available to farmers through one-off grants for capital investment in equipment and technology, and ongoing payments for environmental actions and related advice and support. Farmers will be able to get paid for a combination of actions that they choose, to suit their farm business, food production and the environment.