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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

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

BUSINESS

Eagle vows to fix SFI first-come system

Dame Angela Eagle has acknowledged the “frustration and anger” caused by the government’s handling of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), pledging to work with the NFU to reform the scheme’s…

BUSINESS

Cross-party MPs demand answers over SFI26 chaos

MPs have demanded answers from Defra after the £253m budget for the second window of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) was exhausted in less than six hours. More than…

NEWS

£65m soil scheme missed chance to build national picture

More than £65m was paid to farmers through Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) soil-assessment actions, but the resulting data was not routinely collected, prompting claims the scheme missed an opportunity to…

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

SFI26: The haves and have-nots

The 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) created clear winners and losers, with some farmers beaten not by eligibility, but by the clock and the computer. SFI26 Window 2 opened at…

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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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