A Quick Guide to The Sustainable Farming Incentive

In this guide, we'll walk you through the key details and steps to prepare for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), a program designed to support farms while promoting sustainable practices.

1. Express Your Interest

If you haven't already, express your interest in the SFI by filling out this form on the Defra website.

2. Accelerated Payment

Good news for those with a live 2023 agreement: you'll receive an accelerated payment worth 25% of your agreement's value within the first month, helping with your farm's cash flow amidst rising input costs.

3. Flexible and Broad Offer

Defra has expanded and improved SFI based on feedback. By joining SFI, you'll get paid for actions that benefit your business, food production, and the environment.

4. Non-Competitive

SFI is not a competition; anyone who applies and is eligible will get an agreement. You can enter any amount of land without a minimum or maximum area requirement. Plus, you can choose how many actions you want to undertake and can add more land and actions to your agreement each year.

5. Compatibility with Countryside Stewardship

You can participate in both SFI and Countryside Stewardship simultaneously, provided the actions are compatible, and you are not being paid for the same action twice.

Getting Ready - Key Steps

To prepare for the SFI, follow these important steps:

1. Read the Official Scheme Guidance

The SFI Handbook for the 2023 offer contains official guidance presented as a single PDF document.

2. Check Eligibility

Ensure you are eligible to apply for SFI.

3. Verify Land Eligibility

Check that your land is eligible for the program.

4. Update Digital Maps

Make sure the registered details on your digital maps are up to date. Request updates early to streamline your application process.

5. Update Contact Details

Verify that your contact details are current, and permissions are correctly set for SFI in the Rural Payments service.

6. Register Your Interest

Officially register your interest in the SFI program.

Things to Consider

• Start some actions early, even before joining SFI, to take advantage of opportunities like the autumn cover crop window.
• If you plan to apply for SFI actions for hedgerows, you do not need to check your hedgerows on digital maps before applying.
• Common land farmers can apply for SFI through group agreements, but these may require more time and manual processing. Extra payments will be provided to those farming on commons to acknowledge the additional effort required.
• If you have an existing SFI 2022 standards agreement, you can include this land or additional land in your 2023 application. The RPA will guide you through this process.