Sustainable Farming Incentive closure devastates farming incomes, CLA poll shows
CLA survey demonstrates the significant impact the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive will have on farming businesses in England
A new poll of CLA members shows that almost 95% of respondents were looking to apply for more Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) options before it was suddenly closed.
It has been a week since the shock closure of the scheme and anger from rural communities has not subsided and our survey demonstrates the damage this closure will have on farming incomes. Of the 312 respondents:
- Nearly 95% intended to apply for more options in the expanded offer
- 54% are currently in an SFI agreement
- 40% are not but intended to apply for options in the expanded offer
Only 4.5% of those who answered the survey were content that they had achieved all they wanted from the SFI scheme.
Member case studies highlight the impact that this will have on incomes and profitability, including on those who were in the middle of an application.
Many businesses who took part in the survey were taking advice to prepare their SFI application, including dozens who had already invested in professional advisers, before it suddenly closed. Concerningly, there are numerous cases of those who have schemes ending this year, who will not be able to apply for another scheme until at least summer 2026.
These responses are being collated and will be shared with government ministers and advisers to demonstrate the real-life impact this closure has on rural businesses and the strength of feeling about the decision.
The CLA continues to engage with ministers and MPs to try and mitigate the impact of these changes, as well as shape any future scheme.
Farming roundtable
On Monday, CLA Deputy President Gavin Lane attended a roundtable with Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner and other industry bodies to discuss the government’s ambitions for farming.
During the meeting, he queried the lack of notice before the closure of SFI, noting the financial hardship placed on farmers and how damaging it has been to industry confidence in Defra.
Although unwilling to show real compromise, Daniel Zeichner committed to working closely with industry bodies in the formulation of the next SFI scheme.
Speaking after the meeting, Gavin said: “The industry message to Defra was loud and clear: its sudden halting of the SFI scheme and the total lack of communication around its decision has sent shockwaves through the farming sector.
It is astounding that there were seemingly no checks and balances, or monitoring of the scheme, to ensure we did not get into this situation, and even more astonishing that the government did not contact industry when it first identified the issue.
“Trust has been broken and urgent action is now needed if Defra is to stand any chance of rebuilding confidence. The revised version of SFI must be launched as soon as possible, working with the industry to design a scheme that is transparent and accessible to all farmers and landowners, to benefit nature, the environment and food production.”
Following the meeting, the CLA has been involved in a joint letter with other industry bodies to the farming minister, urging, at a minimum, for the government to support the thousands of farmers who were in the midst of a SFI application before it was closed.