Menu

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

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…

ARABLE

How SFI grassy corners and blocks can work most effectively

Grassy corners and blocks are perhaps potentially one of simplest of all the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) options to implement, but, as ever, to deliver the maximum benefit for the…

BUSINESS

How to bounce back from bad weather and drop in farm support

Labelled as a perfect storm, declining support payments, a new government, extreme weather and market disruption have combined to cause uncertainty and put incomes under pressure in 2024. Transition from…

OTHER CROPS

How to maximise SFI herbal leys in arable rotations

About 175,000ha of SAM3 herbal leys are due to be grown in Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023 (SFI23) schemes, according to the figures released by Defra for agreements reached by the…

See all

Case studies

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…

ARABLE

How nature focus helps profits rise on east Kent farm

A switch to nature-friendly farming is boosting profitability on one east Kent farm, with inputs slashed, soils improved and price premiums gained as grain yields are held at high levels.…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How a regen farm is reducing inputs to meet SFI targets

The drive to reduce the use of artificial inputs is under way at Raby Farms in County Durham, with the business recognising the economic and environmental benefits of being less…

ELM

2023 SFI to regain lost third of BPS for Warwickshire grower

Paul Wilson is hoping to secure one-third of the money he received from an old area-based subsidy scheme as he puts the finishing touches to a new farm environmental plan…

See all

Insights

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

SFI 2024 update: All you need to know

Starting your Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) journey is becoming an increasingly urgent task for farm businesses looking to increase resilience and improve cashflow. SFI has been through multiple revisions since…

SOILS

SFI 2024 changes: What they mean for arable farmers

Arable farmers considering the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2024 scheme are being reminded that changes to actions and agreements were introduced in early August. The Defra update provided some…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Expanded SFI 2024 offer: What it means for arable farmers

The new expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for 2024 brings together the existing SFI 2023 offer, amended Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship (CS) options and some new actions, moving it closer to…

ARABLE

How to succeed with the AHL2 winter bird food option in SFI

Filling the hungry gap for smaller farmland birds from late autumn through to late winter by providing a supply of small seeds on arable and horticultural land is the relatively…

See all

News

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Clock ticking on Defra farming resilience fund

Farmers are being reminded to take advantage of the Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF), a Defra initiative designed to help them navigate the changes brought by England’s agricultural transition. As…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Defra scraps EOI requirement for the SFI scheme

Defra has scrapped the expression of interest (EOI) requirement for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, meaning farmers in England can now apply directly online for the expanded 2024 SFI…

ELM

Days numbered for 'delinked payments' in England after Budget

Details of the continued phase-out of direct payments to farmers in England have been revealed by Defra following this week’s Budget, with all recipients seeing 76% of their base amount…

ELM

Defra promises to speed up SFI offer rollout 'soon'

Defra has promised to speed up its processing of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications, citing the detailed checking process rather than budgetary pressures for the slow delivery so far. Farmers…

See all

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.…

See all