Defra ignores industry call for paper SFI for commons
Sheep grazing on common land © Abobe Stock A push is under way to address the exclusion of common land from the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), six months after a paper-based application system was first requested by farming organisations.
In a letter sent on 24 March 2026, the Foundation for Common Land (FCL), alongside 14 major organisations, wrote to farming minister Angela Eagle raising concerns about commoners being locked out of SFI because the IT system underpinning the scheme cannot cope with large field parcels.
See also: Thousands of commoners face SFI and CS exclusion
Asked why ministers had not responded to the long-standing request for paper applications, executive director of the FCL Julia Aglionby said: “Defra and the Rural Payments Agency have perhaps been over-focused on digital by default applications and have perhaps forgotten the already excellent capability for off-system processing of commons agreements.
“This week I had a meeting with a Defra director and agreed no one wishes the perfect be the enemy of the good.
“With only 250 commons agreements needing to be processed, we are keen to support Defra to find a solution that delivers for marginal farm business that deliver so much for nature, communities and our iconic landscapes.”
The alliance of farming organisations behind the letter, which also includes the CLA, NFU and Tenant Farmers Association, is now escalating efforts to ensure commoners can access the scheme, engaging with the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and the Labour Rural Research Group of MPs.
Defra said it was continuing to consider how common land could be incorporated into future schemes, including the possibility of simplified CS Higher Tier agreements.
A spokesman added: “In the spirit of trusted partnership, we are engaging with farming organisations as we continue to develop the new SFI offer.
“More than half of farmers are already in our farming schemes, including 44,000 multi-year SFI agreements, that will continue to support sustainable food production.”
