51AVÊÓƵ

Union says SFI bombshell will push figure even further

Despite the Government's own website stating that it would give farmers six week notice before the closure of SFI, the Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said it was not possible, as it would have led to a ‘further spike in applications'

SFI24 now has more than 37,000 multi-year live agreements and has reached its ‘maximum limit' and can no longer accept new SFI applications from today

NFU president Tom Bradshaw to say there is ‘so much more to do' and there is still time for this Government to 'reset its relationship with farming and rural Britain'

March Spending Review is key to future of SFI, says department, which admits concerns over future budget

David Morley, of H&H Land and Estates said with a dwindling Basic Payment Scheme and no means of making up this lost income, it was farmers who have demonstrated a ‘long-term commitment to delivering environmental enhancement who are being unfairly penalised'

New analysis shows hill farmers are only receiving 8% or £39m of the Government's new farming support scheme, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, despite the uplands occupying ‘around 15% of England's area'

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said there are sheep farmers who have 'wholeheartedly thrown themselves into the SFI pilot', whose agreements have now ended with no certainty over continuation into SFI and fears over budget cutbacks

Defra confirmed 76 grant items have been impacted. For farmers who have applied for a grant that is temporarily withdrawn, their application will be put on hold and will be contacted early next year