DEFRA has announced that the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will reopen later this year with two application windows.
June 2026 will be the first application window and will prioritise smaller farms and those not currently in an Environmental Land Management (ELM) agreements.
September 2026 will be the second application window opening the scheme more widely to other applicants.
According to DEFRA, the revised approach is intended to provide greater clarity following the pause in applications and to manage demand within available budgets. DEFRA has stated that the updated SFI offer will be simpler and that further detail will be shared ahead of each application window.
Farmers and land managers are advised to keep up to date with guidance as it is released and consider how the new SFI structure may fit within their business plans.
To ensure you are prepared;
🌾 Check latest RPA plans for boundary changes
🌾 Check land use codes for all land parcels are correct
🌾 Check ineligible features such as new tracks or buildings are correct
🌾 Review previous grant options, new grants may offer different actions which you may be eligible for
🌾 Check SBI details, permissions and compliance requirements
🌾 Consider payment rates, cashflow and workload fit
If you need support in preparing for an SFI application, please do contact us to discuss your options.
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