Farmers warned of cyber threats as SFI window set to open

Farmers in England applying for the second window of the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26) are being urged to put cyber security alongside land, livestock and financial planning this autumn.

The SFI26 application window is set to open on 22 September, with farmers expected to review records, update business information and use government digital systems.

See also: 7 ways to beef up your farm’s cybersecurity

But as more aspects of farm businesses move online, cyber criminals are also increasingly targeting the sector.

As David Suffield, cybercrime protect and prevent officer at Lancashire Constabulary, warns, modern farming’s reliance on digital tools such as Rural Payments Agency accounts, online banking, livestock records, accounting software and GPS-guided machinery makes robust cyber security more important than ever.

“The SFI continues to provide opportunities for farmers to secure funding for sustainable land management and productivity improvements,” said Mr Suffield.

“However, while attention is often focused on land, livestock and environmental actions, there is another area that deserves equal consideration: cybersecurity.”

Phishing remains a major threat, with criminals able to impersonate trusted organisations and use increasingly convincing emails to steal passwords, payment details or other sensitive information.

Mr Suffield urged farmers to pause before clicking links or acting on unexpected requests, particularly those involving payments or account details.

“Computers are becoming increasingly more difficult to hack into,” he said. “What hasn’t changed is you and I.”

Farm businesses can seek advice from their regional Cyber Resilience Centre, with fully funded support available to small and medium-sized businesses.

Farmers are also being encouraged to visit the National Cyber Security Centre for further guidance.

Forage shortage scammers

Mr Suffield said farmers should also be aware that scammers exploit periods of high supply and demand shortages, which can make even a convincing scam difficult to spot.

Early reports suggest the shortage of forage in parts of England could provide an opportunity for criminals this year.

Some farmers have reported emails offering silage at unusually attractive prices, with buyers asked to pay a deposit or part-payment upfront. The silage may never arrive.

Farmers receiving unexpected offers should independently verify the seller, avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails and never rely solely on contact details supplied by a potential scammer.

 “Wherever there’s a shortage and there’s a supply and demand issue, there is an opportunity for criminality,” noted Mr Suffield.

NFU Mutual warning

Rural businesses are being warned about a rise in scams involving the sale of valuable equipment, with fraudsters sometimes advertising goods that do not exist to secure payment.

NFU Mutual says farmers and rural businesses are also being targeted through identity theft, account takeovers, false or inflated insurance claims and supply-chain fraud.

The insurer warns that changes to farm payment schemes, including delinked payments schemes like the SFI, can provide opportunities for fraudsters to trick farmers into handing over payment or banking information.

NFU Mutual and the Insurance Fraud Bureau are also warning rural communities about insurance and financial fraud.

The rural insurer says rural businesses can be targeted by identity theft, account takeover, false or inflated insurance claims and supply-chain fraud.

Charlotte Brown, counter-fraud manager at NFU Mutual, urged any farmer who suspects they have been the victim of fraud to report it to Report Fraud and provide as much detail as possible.

Rural crime cost an estimated £41.5m in 2025, while NFU Mutual’s counter-fraud teams conducted more than 6,000 investigations during the year, identifying and preventing £43.2m of fraud.