Earlier this year, the Government announced that the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme will launch between June and September. Farms over 3 hectares will be eligible, the revised offering will be simpler and more focused with fewer options, reviewed payment rates and agreement value caps.
Following last years abrupt closure of the SFI without warning, Defra has committed to give advance notice of any future closures and will publish updates regarding planned changes.
Sustainable Food Cornwall has organised a series of free online sessions to help growers and farmers navigate the SFI scheme. The first session took place in April, providing an overview of the scheme and touching on other available funding, such as the Capital grants scheme.
Four follow on sessions are planned over the coming months. The next two are:
Each session builds on the last, attendees are given homework to complete beforehand and can then join and ask questions on anything they were unsure about. The aim is to have you fully prepared to apply as soon as the scheme goes live in June, so you can get ahead and avoid a last-minute rush.
If you missed the first session we recommend watching the recording using the link below. Even if you haven’t seen it, you’re still welcome to join the upcoming sessions. Sign up for free via Eventbrite.
A note on the 3 hectare threshold
The news that the SFI 2026 only applies to farms over 3 hectares has been disappointing, as it excludes many of the growers we work with. If you rent land from a larger site, it may be worth exploring SFI options with your landlord as part of a larger farm application.
We have engaged with the Rural Payments Agency to explore whether there is a mechanism for holdings under 3 hectares to apply, but unfortunately there is not one at present. Many organisations are actively pushing for this to change next year.
In the meantime, some of the information covered in these sessions may still be useful when applying for other funding , such as the Capital Grants Scheme.
Key scheme details
- The first round of funding opens in June, for farms between 3-50 hectares
- The second round opens in September, open to farms over 3 hectares
- Only one agreement is permitted per Single Business Identifier (SBI)
- Some actions are limited to covering no more than 25% of the farm
- All agreements last three years
- There will also be a cap of £100,000 per agreement
- Once funding is allocated, the window will close – so it’s important to submit your application as early as possible
As well as an overview of the SFI scheme, the initial webinar also covers how to obtain an SBI number, check your details and maps in the Rural Payments system, and obtain a HEFER for your land.
Sessions are delivered by Business Information Point, who will be on hand to guide you and answer questions throughout the application process.
Recording of Session 1: Watch here Passcode: #W8Z99**
For any questions about the sessions or for the supporting powerpoint deck, contact Sophie at [email protected]
These sessions are kindly supported by the Farming in Protected Landscapes team as part of our Joining the Dots project.