Farmer Focus: We should call subsidies ‘government contracts’

We’ve had news that a form of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will be coming out this year, with the potential introduction of capping.

If it does come in, I sincerely hope it’s not a total financial cap but instead a cap on what can be undertaken.

It would be absurd, for example, if large businesses were unable to claim for insecticide-free crops or low-input cereals simply because of a cap.

The whole point of stewardship is surely to improve the environment, regardless of business size.

See also: Defra sets out two-window SFI return in 2026

About the author

Robin Aird

Arable Farmer Focus writer Robin Aird manages 1,500ha on the north Wiltshire and Gloucestershire border, with a further 160ha on a contract farming agreement. Soils vary from gravel to clay with the majority silty clay loams. The diverse estate has Residential, commercial and events enterprises. He is Basis qualified and advises on other farming businesses.

Contact:

Email: robin.aird@charltonpark.estate

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This leads me to another thought: as an industry, we should stop referring to these payments as “subsidies” and instead call them what they are – government contracts.

Other industries operate this way, and when you sign on the dotted line, you are entering into a contract with the government.

My final rant came about while we were servicing a neighbour’s power harrow.

I suggested replacing the pto shaft covers as they were starting to show signs of wear.

I rang our local dealership for a price for a set of three pto covers for the orange power harrow, and the quote came back at more than £2,000.

Spaldings kindly supplied the Bare-Co equivalents for less than £300.

I even raised this with the manufacturer at Lamma, and they didn’t seem to see it as an issue.

Health and safety is vital in our industry, and this kind of ridiculous profiteering only undermines it. It has to stop.

As we head towards yet another 100mm of rain this month, we’ve been keeping busy both in the office and the workshop.

I’ve been reviewing health and safety across the estate.

What was once an onerous task – creating risk assessments and safe working practices – has become far more manageable thanks to artificial intelligence.

I can generate solid base templates and tailor them to our specific needs. It has been a real step forward.

I recently attended a one-day course at Niab on advanced disease management and control in cereals.

It was an in-depth dive into everything from the supply chain through to pathogens and resistance.

The course was superbly run, and I would highly recommend it to anyone involved in crop production.