New measures announced today (Monday, March 25) will limit the amount of land farmers can take out of productive actions under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) also announced that new applicants to the scheme will only be able to put 25% of their land into six SFI actions that take land out of direct production.
The six capped actions will continue to play an important role in supporting farmers primary role, which is “to produce food”, Defra said.
The six capped actions are:
- Flower-rich grass margins;
- Pollen and nectar flower mix;
- Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land;
- Grassy field corners and blocks;
- Improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management;
- Winter bird food on improved grassland.
While there has been only limited evidence to date of farmers entering large amounts of their land into actions that take away food production, some of these actions were being used more than intended in a small number of cases, the department said.
The changes aim to ensure the scheme continues to support farmers to produce food sustainably alongside improving the environment.
The six actions will continue to play an important role in supporting sustainable food production but were always intended to be implemented on smaller areas of the farm – something the new measures will protect, Defra said.
Farming minister Mark Spencer said: “Food production is the primary purpose of farming and today we are taking action to clarify this principle.
“The six actions we are capping were always intended to be implemented on smaller areas of land, and these changes will help to maintain this intention and continue our commitment to maintain domestic food production.”
More information regarding the timing of the implementation of the cap will be released in the coming weeks, Defra said.
