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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

ARABLE

3 ways private funding for arable environmental schemes work

As public funding disappears and the future of environmental schemes remains uncertain, growers looking to plug the hole in farm finances are being tempted by private funding initiatives. Farmers want…

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…

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News

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Defra seeks solutions on expiring CS agreements

Thousands of English farmers face uncertainty in 2026 with Countryside Stewardship (CS) Mid Tier agreements set to expire, raising concerns about continuity of support under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).…

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

Thousands of commoners face SFI and CS exclusion

Thousands of upland farmers in England face exclusion from future agri-environment schemes after Defra confirmed there is no mechanism to include common land in 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) or…

FARM POLICY

Defra SFI overhaul a blow for species-rich grasslands

The UK government’s overhaul of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will leave most farmers without funding to manage or restore species-rich grasslands, raising concerns among environmental groups and the farming…

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

Extra funding for Welsh agri-environment scheme

Welsh farmers are being offered £5.5m in extra funding over the next two years to sign up to the government’s Ffermio Bro environmental scheme. The scheme is designed to encourage…

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