'Months of uncertainty' ahead for farmers after Government ends applications for environmental payment scheme, MP warns

The Government has come under fire after it announced last month (March 11) that it will stop accepting new applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme which pays farmers to adopt and maintain farming practices that help to produce food sustainably and protect the environment.

South Shropshire MP, Stuart Anderson has expressed his "shock" and "concern" at the decision, and called on the Government to "start listening" to farmers.

The SFI scheme was introduced by the previous Government in 2021 as part of its post-Brexit Environmental Land Management programme to encourage sustainable farming practices.

It pays farmers for sustainable food production practices while protecting and enhancing nature. 

At the time of the announcement, the Government said it had more than 37,000 multi-year live agreements and that 800,000 hectares of arable land had been farmed without insecticides as a result of the scheme - reducing harm to pollinators and improving soil health.  

However, the Government announced that it would no longer accept applications for the scheme and that it was time for a "reset". 

The Government said nothing will change for farmers who already have an SFI agreement, and that they will continue to receive payments as normal under the terms of their agreement.

It added that a "reformed SFI scheme" with a budget will be confirmed in the Spending Review this summer.

But, Mr Anderson believes the decision "risks food security" and said farmers now face "months of uncertainty" until new details are released.

Stuart Anderson MP said: "Having already declared a drastic reduction in inheritance tax relief and mental health support for our farmers, I am shocked that Ministers have frozen funding that delivers sustainable productivity gains via the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). 

"Farmers have said that this has abruptly halted projects that they had planned to enhance national food security and promote nature recovery. I am concerned that the withdrawal of support for our farmers will also increase food prices for hard working families in South Shropshire. 

"Food inflation has already jumped to 3.3 per cent from 2 per cent last year. It is time that Ministers started listening to our farmers. I hope an announcement on future funding will be made as soon as possible."