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Know How / Environmental schemes

Each of the UK’s devolved administrations has its own agri-environment scheme – for example, the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in England and the Agri-environment Climate Scheme in Scotland.

Find out what’s involved in signing up to a ‘green scheme’ and get practical tips on putting together your application.

Advice and tips

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

What farmers can do to protect newly planted trees

A record 20,660ha of woodland were created in 2023-24, with more than 20m new trees planted across the UK. But significant tree losses during the early growing phase are slowing…

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…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Advice on preparing early for new grant funding applications

A new round of standalone Countryside Stewardship (CS) Capital Grants 2025-26 will open this summer worth £45m and funding a significant proportion of the cost of a wide range of…

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

ARABLE

Herts farmer shows how production and biodiversity combine

A Hertfordshire arable farmer has won the prestigious Silver Lapwing Award for his long-standing commitment to species and habitat conservation. Andrew Bott of Finches Farm, Benington, was recognised by the…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How growers returned environmental schemes back to cropping

Land in environmental stewardship schemes returning to the arable rotation must be managed carefully to avoid unintended weed burdens. We talk to two growers about how they have managed the…

ARABLE

Suffolk farm faces tough decisions on environmental measures

Farmers are facing tough decisions on the future of environmental measures, as the Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme will end by December this year and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is…

ARABLE

How an award-winning arable farm combines business and nature

Bedingham Hall Farm near Bungay is maximising its environmental conservation, while remaining committed to profitable food production. It has done this by making full use of the natural features available…

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Insights

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

Do agri-environment schemes deliver for nature?

Agri-environment schemes have been around for decades, aiming to improve habitats, protect nature, boost soil health, cut pollution, and help fight climate change. There are more than 40 public and…

FARM POLICY

Analysis: SFI returns in 2026, but doubts linger

After months of uncertainty, Defra has confirmed that England’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will reopen in 2026, in a bid to rebuild confidence after the scheme’s abrupt closure last March.…

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News

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

Organic sector welcomes sustained support through SFI 2026

Organic sector representatives have expressed their relief that the revamped Sustainable Farming Incentive for 2026 maintains many of the options available in previous rounds which should encourage future conversions and…

FARM POLICY

Defra overhauls SFI with £100,000 cap and 71 actions

Defra secretary Emma Reynolds has unveiled a major reset of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for England, capping annual payments at £100,000 and reducing the number of actions from 102…

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

NFFN Cymru demands long-term SFS funding

Welsh politicians are being urged to commit to an ambitious long-term budget for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) to support nature-friendly agriculture, ahead of the May Senedd election. The call…

BUSINESS

Farming Connect programme gets £11m to help implement SFS

The Welsh government has allocated £11m to its Farming Connect programme to help it support farmers as they prepare for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS). The SFS launched on 1…

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