Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. June 2025
    2. 2025 Innovation supplement
    3. May 2025
    4. April 2025
    5. March 2025
    6. 2025 Buildings supplement
    7. February 2025
    8. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    9. January 2025
    10. December 2024
    11. November 2024
    12. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. August 2024
    16. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    17. July 2024
    18. June 2024
    19. 2024 Innovation supplement
    20. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    21. May 2024
    22. April 2024
    23. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    24. March 2024
    25. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    31. October 2023
    32. September 2023
    33. Health Supplement
    Featured

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025
    Recent

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Business

Sustainable Farming Incentive update announced

Tobias HudsonBy Tobias HudsonMay 21, 20243 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
© Adobe Stock

Details of the new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) available to farmers from July have been published by the government today.

The offer will be open to new entrants for the first time and will comprise of 102 actions, including over 20 new options to support sustainable food production.

Other options include payments for precision farming and agroforestry, a new and expanded offer for upland farmers, and more choice for tenants on short-term contracts.

See also: Pilot study to showcase UK farming’s environmental benefits

Further new actions look to support flood preparedness, helping businesses be more resilient against the changing climate and weather conditions.

Farming minister Mark Spencer said: “I recognise that farmers have had to deal with difficult circumstances this year, which is why we have delivered on our commitment to provide further detail on the expanded SFI offer ahead of applications opening in July.

“The new expanded SFI offer gives farmers more choice, makes things easier and pays out more, so they can get on with the important job of producing high quality food in a sustainable way.”

The announcement comes following a support package for farmers unveiled at the Prime Minister’s Farm to Fork Summit in Downing Street, and a commitment to maintain the £2.4b annual farming budget.

More than 50 simplified actions from Countryside Stewardship (CS) Mid-Tier will be merged into SFI, with some durations reducing from 5 to 3 years to align with tenant farmer needs.

The application window for CS Higher Tier, which provides grants to help farmers restore or enhance the environment, will open in the winter, with agreements starting in January 2025.

Alice Groom, head of sustainable land use policy at RSPB England called the new SFI offer “an important milestone”.

She added: “Whilst an expanded SFI offer is welcome, we are very concerned that timelines are slipping to get the new higher tier offer launched.

“This risks leaving farmers doing the most for nature at the back of the queue and insufficient progress on the actions that can make the most impact for nature’s recovery.”

She said that the ELM offer must get up and running to ensure it is capable of being “the real engine” of progress towards nature and climate targets.

NFU Deputy President David Exwood said it was “encouraging” to see SFI made broader and more flexible, and was glad to see hill farmers recognised for their role in food production.

But he urged Defra to supply more details soon to help those ending agreements, or anyone wanting to transfer from the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).

“It is important now that Defra and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) ensure that all these schemes have the resources needed to make delivery a success, with clear timelines for the application processes which will provide further clarity and allow our members to put together comprehensive agreements needed for their farming businesses,” Mr Exwood said.

He also stressed that the next government must look at the agricultural budget to ensure “farmers and growers can continue doing what they do best”.

A new digital tool has also been launched to signpost customers toward the funding that is available to them.

More actions are expected later in the year, including an educational access action announced in January’s Agricultural Transition Plan update.

To be one of the first farmers to access the expanded SFI offer, express interest here.

Applications will open to the wider sector, based on eligibility, on 22 July.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticlePilot study to showcase UK farming’s environmental benefits
Next Article Five-fold increase recorded in domestic African swine fever outbreaks in Europe last year
Tobias Hudson

Read Similar Stories

Farming and rural bodies give ‘cautious welcome’ to better-than-expected Defra funding settlement

June 11, 2025

GB pig prices for week ending June 7, 2025 – SPP moves up for fourth successive week

June 11, 2025

China delays retaliatory investigation into EU pork products

June 11, 2025
Latest News

Pigs Tomorrow: The sustainability challenges and trade-offs

June 13, 2025

Pigs Tomorrow: Ever-increasing knowledge informs future of farrowing

June 12, 2025

Farming and rural bodies give ‘cautious welcome’ to better-than-expected Defra funding settlement

June 11, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1752 Somerset

    • Somerset
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Piggery Stockpersons – Ref 1751 Western Australia

    • Western Australia
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1750 Hertfordshire

    • Hertfordshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.