MPs probe SFI shambles as farmers left in the lurch

MPs have launched a survey into farmers’ experiences of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) after the scheme’s second window slammed shut in less than six hours.

The cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee wants to hear from farmers in England, both those who got applications in and those who didn’t.

See also: Cross-party MPs demand answers over SFI26 chaos

Questions cover location, farm type, what stopped people applying, whether they noticed the 25%, 50% and 75% funding alerts, and what changes they now face.

The survey closes at 6pm on Friday 16 October.

Committee chairman Alistair Carmichael said Defra needed to build trust with farmers, and “the last thing they needed was a day like last Tuesday”.

Many farmers now find business planning harder than ever, he added. He promised their evidence would shape questions put to ministers and officials in the coming weeks and months.

“We want to hear from as many farmers and land agents as possible about what their experiences were on the day and since then,” said Mr Carmichael.

“We especially want to hear from those who lost out about what this will mean for how they farm the land without the assistance that they might have received from the SFI.

Defra says about 12,200 applications were submitted, with an average value of roughly £20,700.

Some £253m was allocated to Window 2 after ministers added £20m, with agreements capped per individual business at £100,000 a year.

Top actions were low-input grassland (CLIG3), hedgerow management (CHRW2) and herbal leys (CSAM3).

Only two small groups, “assisted digital” farmers and those blocked by technical faults, who contacted the Rural Payments Agency before closure, can continue their applications.

Everyone else who started but didn’t submit in time is out.

SFI27 scheme revisions

Defra says it plans an improved SFI scheme for 2027 and is exploring alternatives to the controversial first come, first served approach.

Consultancy GSC Grays has warned of a bigger problem. About 21,300 farm businesses have environmental agreements expiring by 28 February 2027, yet only about 8,800 of those applied for SFI26.

Director Robert Sullivan said some 12,500 farmers with expiring agreements either didn’t apply or chose not to, and warned land currently managed for habitats and soils could return to more intensive production.

“Environmental management has a value and has to work alongside a sustainable farming business,” he said.

Continuity of funding, he added, is vital if recent environmental gains are not to unravel.

Farmers who missed out can still apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier funding through the Expression of Interest process.