The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) says farmers not currently signed up to an agri-environment scheme urgently need an alternative to stabilise their financial position following Defra’s abrupt closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

The NFFN is calling on the Government for the introduction of an interim scheme to assist farmers not currently enrolled in an SFI. This follows the shock decision by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to close the SFI to new applications on Tuesday evening (11 March) without warning.

The Government said the SFI - a key aspect of the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs), which rewards farmers for actions that benefit biodiversity and the environment - had exhausted its funding.

The NFFN says its proposed interim SFI would provide targeted assistance to farmers most in need, offering a streamlined version of environmental support until a more comprehensive solution is available. This interim measure would help stabilise the financial position of farmers who cannot afford to wait 18 months for the next round of government support.

The organisation has also criticised the SFI’s design and administration, as too much of the budget has gone to unambitious actions that have delivered little for the environment.

NFFN CEO Martin Lines said: “The Government needs to act swiftly to introduce this interim support scheme. We're not expecting a fully-fledged solution, but rather a targeted approach to help those farmers who need it most and cannot wait 18 months for support.

“Many of the problems that have led to the abrupt closure of the SFI were predictable and should have been foreseen by both ministers and civil servants. The way this closure has been handled has left thousands of farmers high and dry, with many now in a really difficult financial position. The lack of prior warning was completely unacceptable. Lessons must be learned from this.

“The abrupt closure of the SFI has also exposed fundamental flaws in its design. It's now clear that broad and shallow schemes do not deliver for farms or nature. Any new scheme must truly deliver on the Government’s key targets, such as access to nature, natural flood management, the restoration of our landscapes and biodiversity, as well as guarantees of food availability."

The NFFN also warns the sudden withdrawal of the SFI application process has severely damaged trust between farmers and Government, at a time when relations were already strained.

It also said the Government must recognise that farmers need certainty to make long-term plans for managing their land, and the systems supporting them cannot keep changing rapidly or be paused.

Mr Lines added: “Farmers are ready and willing to deliver many of this Government’s key priorities, but this will only happen with timely and consistent support.”

-ENDS-

NOTES TO EDITORS

To interview NFFN CEO Martin Lines or an NFFN farmer affected by the changes to the SFI scheme, contact the NFFN’s press officer Andrew Nowell on 07985476428 or at andrew.nowell@nffn.org.uk

Nature Friendly Farming Network

The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) is a UK farmer-led network working to mainstream nature-friendly farming as the most sustainable way of producing food. It is a membership organisation led by farmers, working alongside other organisations and public supporters. It unites farmers across the UK who champion how food and farming can positively influence change. Together, we are a strong voice for sustainable food and farming in the UK.

Its work is to support farmers at every stage of their journey towards nature-friendly farming. Through showcasing the experiences of farmers who are leading the way, it shares knowledge that empowers those in transition to produce plentiful food. It is committed to shaping food and farming policies that ensure fairer returns for farmers, improved access to sustainable food and greater stewardship of the environment. It shares farm-level experiences of whole-farm approaches that restore rural environments, regenerate ecosystems, protect biodiversity, act on climate change and offer greater resilience to natural or economic shocks.

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