Stuart Anderson MP has slammed a decision to unexpectedly close a key support scheme for farmers without any prior consultation. Food Minister Daniel Zeichner announced that funding for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) has been “successfully allocated.”
However, Stuart has said that the scheme’s “sudden closure” excludes almost half of farmers from applying to receive this vital support. The Sustainable Farming Incentive was launched in 2021 to help farmers adopt sustainable farming practices that protect and enhance the natural environment and boost food production on farms.
The Scheme had also supported farm productivity, including by improving animal health and welfare. Under it, farmers had been paid every three months so they had a regular, reliable income. In response to feedback, SFI was expanded and made more flexible under the last government.
Last January, payment rates were also uprated by 10%. Farmers have now voiced their fears that they will no longer be able to afford to restore nature in England. Stuart has said the frozen funding calls into question the government's commitment to meet the legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030.
In its long-term environment plan, the last government had made the commitment to protecting 30 per cent of UK land by 2030 and restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife habitat. Stuart had also made protecting our countryside a key pledge during the General Election.
As of March 2025, SFI had over 40,000 successful applications. Now, Ministers have closed the scheme - fuelling criticism from the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which has revealed it was only given thirty minutes’ notice to inform its members.
Officials said:
“With record numbers of farm businesses in farming schemes and the sustainable farming budget successfully allocated, we will stop accepting new applications.”
Responding to the shock announcement, Stuart has said the decision contradicts an earlier commitment he secured from Ministers where they pledged to continue with the schemes. It was in response to a question Stuart had tabled in December calling for increased funding for farmers and food producers. Ministers had stated:
"This Government’s commitment to farmers and food producers remains steadfast…. with the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Landscape Recovery all continuing. This funding will deliver improvements to food security as well as the environment."
The SFI had been a key part of the Agricultural Transition Plan, which was published in November 2020 as the UK left the European Union (EU). It included Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which provide financial support to farmers for environmental benefits.
Stuart has added the decision to close the scheme risks food security - with farmers unable to invest in farm productivity and sustainability. It follows the announcement in October that inheritance tax relief would be drastically cut.
Stuart has added that it flies in the face of evidence, which has shown the support schemes have helped almost all farm types boost their income. Ministers claimed there will be “a new and improved SFI on offer with details to follow the Spending Review.”
Nonetheless, Stuart has slammed the decision to remove the scheme without detailing a successor. He has added 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.”
