Finance

A technical leaflet published by Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G) outlines how farmers with organic certification can combine the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) schemes to increase payments by up to 50% compared to historic BPS rates.

Farmers can now apply for Defra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme to get paid for taking action to protect and enhance the environment while producing food sustainably and profitably.

NFU Cymru’s Rural Affairs Board has voiced concerns that farmers’ finances may take a hit when transitioning to the new interim environment scheme, designed to fill the gap between the end of Glastir and the start of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2025.

To enable more farmers to be part of the scheme, Defra has announced support will be provided to those who started their Countryside Stewardship (CS) 2024 applications by the deadline of Friday 15th September to make sure they can still benefit from the scheme.

Farming groups have welcomed the package of measures announced by Defra on the eve of Back British Farming Day (12th September) to provide an uplift to the industry, but said more needs to be done to support producers currently facing a cash-flow crisis.

In recognition of the challenges farmers face with high inflation and rising input costs, the government has confirmed this Back British Farming Day (13th September) that those holding a live Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023 (SFI) agreement will receive accelerated payments to help with cash flow.

With the launch of the SFI scheme delayed until mid-September and farmers facing a bleak end to 2023, the NFU is calling on the government to “do the right thing” and halt all further reductions to BPS payments until environmental schemes are fully up and running.

As poor weather has made for a particularly challenging harvest, Defra has extended the application window for CS Mid Tier agreements until mid-September.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has confirmed farmers will be issued the first instalment of BPS advance payments tomorrow (1st August), representing up to 50% of annual direct payments.

At a seminar on the Welsh government’s proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) hosted by NFU Cymru, farmers have raised concerns over the 10% tree cover and habitat targets with rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths and called for greater flexibility to make the scheme viable for producers.

With subsidy payments for farmers set to end this year, the Welsh government has announced the launch of an interim agri-environment scheme from 1st January 2024 to provide alternative support until the start of the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2025.

Despite high input costs, the total income from farming (TIFF) in England came to £5.7 billion in 2022, marking an increase of 12.9% on the previous year, the latest figures released by Defra yesterday (6th July) have revealed.