Defra pauses post-Brexit farming scheme as unions flag transparency issues

Farming unions in the UK have branded the government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) a “failing department” after it paused the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which provided reliable income to farmers practicing more environmentally-conscious agriculture. 

The SFI is part of the government’s £5 billion (US$6.5 billion) schemes for nature recovery and sustainable food production, with over 37,000 multi-year live agreements.

Defra announced on March 11 that with a record number of farm businesses in farming schemes and the sustainable farming budget successfully allocated, it would stop accepting new applications for SFI. Pending eligible applications will be processed, and existing agreements will be fulfilled.

“This government is proud to have set the biggest budget for sustainable food produce in history, to boost growth in rural communities and all across the UK, under our Plan for Change,” says Daniel Zeichner, minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs.

“More farmers are now in schemes and more money is being spent through them than ever before. That is true today and will remain true tomorrow. We have now successfully allocated the SFI24 budget as promised.”

Lack of collaboration and transparency

Defra emphasizes that “now is the right time for a reset,” and it wants to support the UK’s farming future by using public funds more fairly and effectively.

The government will share more details about the reformed SFI offer after the Spending Review.

However, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), representing over 44,000 agribusinesses, has expressed concerns over Defra’s transparency and capacity to deliver the agricultural transition it has promised.

“They say the money is spent, but because Defra refuses to be transparent, we don’t know where it’s been spent or whether it’s all been spent within this year,” says Tom Bradshaw, NFU president.

“The awful dilemma now faced by many farmers is whether to turn their backs on environmental work and just farm as hard as they can to survive. This is a loss to both farming and the environment and cannot be what was intended.”

Bradshaw notes the move is “another shattering blow to English farms delivered, yet again, with no warning, no understanding of the industry, and a complete lack of compassion or care.”

“We have had major concerns for years about whether there was the capability within Defra to deliver the agricultural transition post-Brexit. We have warned time and time again that large parts of the SFI were poorly designed and that the department was consistently failing to deliver it.”

Bradshaw highlights the lack of collaboration between those affected and the government, saying the news was delivered hastily, leaving the union no time to inform members.

“There has been no consultation, no communication, and a total lack of the ‘partnership and co-design’ Defra loves to talk about. It is another example of the growing disregard for agriculture within the department.”

“The fact that ministers are actually trumpeting this as good news shows how desperately detached they are from the reality on the ground and how little they understand this industry.”

SFI so far

According to Defra’s estimates, 800,000 hectares of arable land are now farmed without insecticides through SFI, which launched in 2021. This lowers harm to pollinators and improves soil quality.

Additionally, the funds are helping farmers manage 280,000 hectares of low-input grassland more sustainably, which is improving biodiversity and water quality.

Meanwhile, the department notes that the active maintenance of some 75,000 km of hedgerows is providing essential habitats for wildlife while enhancing carbon storage and natural flood defences.

Despite these claims, Bradshaw says, “bad decisions, misdirection, promises broken and no transparency” have led to farmers paying the price.

“When the Chancellor dramatically accelerated the end of the old schemes for all farmers, it was on the promise that they would all be able to access the new ones, which paid them for doing environmental work.”

“But the door has now been slammed shut for thousands of farmers, creating haves and have-nots based purely on timing,” he points out.

Bradshaw mentions that according to NFU’s latest farmer survey, farmer confidence levels in England and Wales have plummeted to the lowest.

“If confidence was at rock bottom and investment through the floor yesterday, tomorrow it will be gone entirely,” he concludes.