The first week in September was one of the best I have ever seen for harvest.

During the wet weather in July and August, we could not have forecast that the sun would have been so strong to dry the crops.

Many of us were rushing around, worrying about the weather and combining as fast as we could to get the crops in the shed.

See also: Wheat blends prove simple way to boost average yields

About the author

Oliver Scott

Oliver Scott is farms director at Bradford Estates, responsible for managing 2,000ha of its 4,800ha area on the Shropshire and Staffordshire border. Cropping includes winter barley, oilseed rape, winter wheat, spring beans, spring barley, maize, lettuce and potatoes across mainly sandy loam soils. Other enterprises include a sheep flock and a business-to-business seed company.

Read more articles by Oliver Scott

If you were one of those who put the brakes on, you will have been able to let Mother Nature play her part.

With such changeable conditions, it has been disappointing to see a delay to the UK’s post-Brexit Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme.

The government’s new farm support scheme has finally opened for applications from Monday 18 September, following roll-out delays and industry criticism.

Defra says the new-look offer includes 23 actions to protect the environment, while supporting food production and productivity.

However since 30 August, farmers have only been able to register their interest in taking part.

The impact of the delay is that many farmers will have to wait until next autumn to act on any approval through the SFI scheme.

If you sign up this autumn and your application is not approved until, say, January, you are not going to rip your crops out of the ground to change your plans.

The extended wait means nearly all farmers will wait to implement any decision until this time next year, which dents hope of greater clarity for colleagues.

We cannot put land aside for cultivation in the hope that a SFI application is approved at a later date and receives financial support.

At a time when we face tough times during to the rising cost of living, the increase in interest rates and the war in Ukraine’s damage to the economy, these delays are disappointing.

It will be a shame if farmers feel demotivated from engaging with the SFI because of these delays.

In farming, as we have seen this summer, timing is everything. It would be a useful lesson for Defra to bear in mind.