Following the complete version of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023 being released in June of this year, this month we are expecting the staggered roll out of the SFI to start.
There will be 23 SFI actions for farmers to choose from, with a “pick and mix” choice to suit their farming system. Many of the options are very similar to those that have been available under Countryside Stewardship, with the same payment rates, but SFI looks to be less prescriptive than previous schemes.
A couple of the more appealing features of the SFI are the quarterly payments, as well as the management payment of £1,000 for all agreements over 50ha (or £20/ha up to 50 ha). Once applications are accepted, agreements can start relatively quickly, with a two month estimated turn around, meaning there is no longer a long wait between acceptance and first payment.
As the Sustainable Farming Incentive starts to roll out we will post further updates but if you are interested in exploring how the SFI may work for your farm business then please contact Carver Knowles on 01684 853400.