SFI funds allocated within a matter of hours

With window two’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) funds allocated within a few hours, farmers were left fearing they will be without crucial support.

As the first window had a budget that was not fully allocated, £3 million of funding was rolled over into window two’s allowance.

Applications opened at approximately 10am on 22 September, with a budget of £233m available to be claimed.

It only took an hour and a half for Defra to announce 25 per cent of funding had been allocated, followed soon after by a notice the 50 per cent threshold had been hit.

At roughly 2.30pm, word began circulating that 75 per cent had been claimed by farmers.

In less than six hours after it opened, the entire £233 million had been fully allocated, with no more applications being accepted.

Who was eligible to apply?

To apply to the second funding window, applicants had to meet the following criteria at the time of application:

• Be registered with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and have a Single Business Identifier (SBI)
• Have at least three hectares of agricultural land
• Possess management control of the land for the entire duration of the SFI application
• Submit applications for actions using land that is eligible for SFI choices

Unlike the first window, which was restricted to small farmers and those without agreements, the second was open to the entire farming sector. This likely explains why it was exhausted so quickly.

Farm businesses were only entitled to one SFI26 agreement with a maximum value of £100,000 per year.

With applications closing on 22 September, farmers will have to wait for the next application window to be announced.

While SFI does not follow a rigid schedule, applications historically open in the summer months.

However, exact timings and structures are heavily dependent on government policy.

Looking to explore agricultural grants available? Contact our team today to discuss your application.