UK Farmers Fear Future: Green Funding Scheme Closure Sparks Outrage

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has expressed deep concern over the recent abrupt closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), a vital green funding scheme aimed at promoting environmental stewardship among farmers in England. Launched in 2022 as part of a post-Brexit payment system to replace EU subsidies, the SFI has provided significant financial support for practices like soil protection and hedgerow restoration. Despite the government citing the scheme’s success with 37,000 agreements in place benefiting half of the country’s farmed land, the sudden halting of new applications leaves farmers like organic arable farmer Anna Biesty facing a potential income shortfall of £140,000. NFU president Tom Bradshaw described the move as a “shattering blow” to farms, emphasizing the stark choice many farmers now face: abandon environmental efforts for more intensive food production or risk financial instability. Critics from farming organizations, including the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), have labeled the decision as a “cruel betrayal” that undermines both environmental and food production efforts. While the government promises a new version of the SFI with a capped budget in the future, the interim gap raises concerns about the immediate economic and ecological impacts on farmers. The situation reflects a broader crisis in the agricultural sector, with uncertainty surrounding funding and support potentially hampering farmers’ ability to contribute positively to environmental goals.