By Abdullahi Lukman
The UK government’s sudden closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), a vital environmental funding scheme for farmers in England, has triggered widespread anger and concern, with farmers warning of potential shifts towards more intensive food production at the expense of environmental work.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and other agricultural organizations condemned the decision, stating that the abrupt termination of the SFI, which paid farmers to manage land for soil protection, hedgerow restoration, and nature recovery, creates significant financial uncertainty and undermines environmental efforts.
NFU, President Tom Bradshaw, warned that the closure, announced with little warning by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), would force farmers to choose between environmental stewardship and economic survival, potentially leading to increased pressure for intensive farming practices.
Organic arable farmer Anna Biesty, among others, expressed deep frustration, citing a substantial financial shortfall due to the scheme’s cancellation and the resulting disruption of carefully laid plans.
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Defra defended its decision by stating that the SFI budget was fully allocated, with 37,000 agreements already in place, and that over 50,000 farm businesses were benefiting from broader environmental land management schemes (Elms).
The government also pledged to introduce a “new and improved” SFI with a capped budget later in the year, maintaining its commitment to £5 billion in sustainable farming and nature recovery funding.
However, critics, including the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), criticized the government’s lack of communication and the potential negative impact on both the environment and food production.
They emphasized the financial hardship the gap between the schemes would cause.
The SFI, launched in 2022, was a core component of the post-Brexit agricultural payment system, designed to replace EU subsidies with a focus on delivering “public goods” through sustainable farming practices.
