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Know How / ELM

The Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will replace basic payments to farmers in England. The scheme will provide payments for farming that improves the environment and mitigates climate change, such as hedge planting and river management.

We explain the details as they emerge to help farmers understand how they will qualify for payments under the scheme.

Advice and tips

ROTATIONS

SFI 2026 options that support resilience on farm

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026 window is set to re-open on the 22 September, which will be a welcome relief for many farmers and growers. After the repeated heatwaves…

ARABLE

How mapping software could speed up SFI applications

With half of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026’s Window 1 funding being allocated in just four days, it will likely pay to be ready to apply on or as soon…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Stacking income: What is it and how to do it on farm

Volatile prices and weather extremes have added risk and uncertainty to farm businesses while dwindling government support has caused a shortfall between pre- and post-Brexit incomes. To make up that…

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

A guide to staying SFI compliant

Unlike more rigid support schemes of the past, the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is all about giving farmers greater flexibility to make actions work for their farm, while simultaneously delivering…

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Case studies

SOILS

How nature-friendly practices built farm's climate resilience

Herbal leys, cover crops, contour cropping and 30m buffer areas are at the heart of Rob Atkin’s strategy to improve soil health, manage grassweeds and protect water quality on his…

OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape grower sees helping hand from SFI

Hampshire oilseed rape grower Dick Hall is earning £369/ha from environmental payments, allowing the crop to rival winter wheat for profitability and making rapeseed the best break crop he can…

ARABLE

How SFI actions closely align with Herefordshire mixed farm

Chris Greenaway, farm manager at Garnstone Farms in Herefordshire is advising farmers to make the most of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), given the accelerated reduction in Basic Payment Scheme…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Why simple herbal ley mix benefits Durham mixed farm

Government clarification that growing one herb, one legume, and one grass together qualifies as a herbal ley under the Sustainable Farming Incentive is grist to the mill of a County…

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Insights

NEWS

How an AI agent helped a farmer beat the SFI deadline

When Staffordshire arable farmer Clive Bailye sat down in a London café on 22 September, he had one thing left to do on an application worth hundreds of thousands of…

FARM POLICY

Private money, public goods – are farmers in control?

Private finance has been touted for decades as a way of bringing new money into agriculture while helping businesses secure more resilient supply chains and meet environmental commitments. Now, it…

ARABLE

SFI26: What options are open to arable farmers?

For growers who were locked out when the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) closed abruptly last March, the government’s February announcement on the scheme will have come as a relief. While…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Analysis: What SFI26 offer means for farm businesses

After months of limbo, Defra has finally outlined the framework and actions for the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26) – indicating that this is the foundation of the offer for…

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News

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Defra knew SFI budget wouldn’t meet demand, MPs told

Defra knew the budget for the second Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) window was unlikely to meet farmer demand, but pressed ahead with a first-come, first-served application process, MPs have been…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Defra considers ways to avoid another SFI debacle

Defra is weighing up a number of options as it seeks to improve the way the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) application process operates before launching the next iteration of the…

ELM

Defra gives more time for farmers hit by SFI26 glitches

Farmers who tried to get into the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26) and failed due to technical glitches are being given an extended chance to apply. Initially, Defra said it…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

NFU seeks farmers’ views on how to make SFI27 fairer

The NFU is seeking views from its farmer-members on how the next Sustainable Farming Incentive should work, as pressure mounts on Defra to prevent a repeat of September’s funding scramble.…

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Video

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Video: Trade and food security top concerns for Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrats have passed a wide-ranging motion pledging better support for British farmers to produce food more sustainably, protect the environment and uphold their high standards in trade deals.…

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