Sustainable Farming Incentive Pilot
See the slides from the presentation on the SFI pilot at EOI stage for the South Pennines farmers’ group (24.03.2021)
Sustainable Farming Incentive Pilot Webinar
See the recording of the presentation on the SFI pilot at EOI stage for the South Pennines farmers’ group (24.03.2021)
The questions asked at the end of the session by members of the group have been removed from this clip. If you have any questions, please contact Jane Rowling, Farm and Rural Liaison Officer at: jane.rowling@calderandcolneriverstrust.org
Your SFI Questions Answered
Q: What time frame do the rates listed in the information on the SFI pilot scheme apply to?
According to Janet Hughes, the Programme Director for Defra’s Future Farming and Countryside Programme, the rates listed in the gov.uk information shown in the webinar are per hectare per year, but the payments will be made monthly across the whole year. This means that for each single hectare entered into e.g. the Intermediate level of the Low and No Input Grassland standard, you could expect £89 divided into 12 equal monthly payments of roughly £7.41. Remember that these payment rates are just for the pilot and a starting point for the scheme.
It is also worth noting that the rates currently available are being reviewed and more information will be published by June. They also have a no detriment policy for those taking part in the pilot, so that if, after review and further piloting, the rates change, anyone already enrolled on the pilot would have their rates altered to stay in line with that received by later entrants. They plan to increase rates in line with inflation as well, so anyone on the pilot would not find themselves, a couple of years down the line, receiving the original pilot payment while those who waited and then joined when the scheme opens to 88,000 BPS recipients received more. It is planned to be the same rates for the same activities across the board, regardless of sign up date.
Q: How do the advertised SFI payments compare to countryside stewardship?
The intention of the SFI payments is that they are to be very similar to the rates you would receive for similar actions under a Countryside Stewardship agreement. This will of course vary according to the circumstances of each individual farm business, and over the next few years, while applications to both schemes are open, you should carefully weigh up both long and short term benefits of both schemes to work out what is right for your business. Remember that you will be able to transfer from CS to ELMs without penalty if that becomes a more attractive option.