Cornish farmer David Oates is set to see more money coming in from stacking regenerative actions on his mixed family farm than from the old Basic Payment Scheme subsidy.

He is looking to maximise the potential of the land using a range of regen methods to bring in a regular stream of income, and make the organic farm, run by the Oates family for 270 years, more sustainable.

See also: How to maximise SFI herbal leys in arable rotations

“The stacking of regen enterprises is bringing in a steady cashflow to help reduce risks and allow us the flexibility to innovate on the farm,” he told Farmers Weekly at regenerative agriculture event Groundswell 2025, which was held at Lannock Manor Farm, Weston, in Hertfordshire on 2-3 July.

Family business

The family business, including his brother Stuart, farms 600ha of owned, rented and contract farmed land where 20% is arable, 50% lowland heath, 25% permanent pasture and the rest in woodland and wetlands.

Both brothers are current 2025 Nuffield scholars, with David studying “Stacking land uses for business and environmental sustainability”, and Stuart “Fossil free farming?”

The farm’s regen stacking income comes largely from a newly agreed three-year Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, and from four different Countryside Stewardship schemes across the farm.

The big elements of the SFI for the family farm are wholecrop silage of spring barley and peas, which is used to feed the 100-strong Welsh Black suckler cow herd and for nearby organic dairy farms, and also from herbal leys.

The wholecrop spring cereals and overwinter stubble option (AHW8) earns £596/ha a year and lasts for three years.

The stubble is left over in the autumn and winter months to give foraging sites for farmland birds, small mammals and pollinators.

The growing of herbal leys option (CSAM3) earns £382/ha a year for three years.

The aim is to produce forage with improved resilience to drought, which can help improve the soil.

Heritage grains

The arable land at Rosuick Farm on the Lizard Peninsula in south Cornwall grows heritage grains such as black oats, Red Lammas and spelt, as well as fodder crops and the wholecrop silage.

David said that the money coming in from the regen stacking is above the last full BPS annual payment of about £233/ha in 2020, but taking into account the extra costs to comply with the options, the final financial reward is very similar to BPS.

The SFI was suddenly halted this spring by the government with a revised offer likely in the summer. 

However, the fear of losing this cash has caused widespread concern throughout the farming industry, and for David, this steady cashflow has allowed the farm the flexibility to innovate.

“If we lose SFI and stewardship, then we would lose the chance to innovate, such as trialling new heritage grains and new seed mixtures,” he said.