England's £233m Sustainable Farming Incentive fund ran out in under six hours, leaving Shropshire farmer Dan Morris and daughter Imogen without funding. Minister Stephen Morgan says he is exploring alternatives to first-come, first-served applications.
Applications opened at 10:00 BST on Tuesday 22 September, and funding had run out by 15:48 BST. The scheme pays landowners in England for environmentally friendly land management and replaces EU subsidies. Each farm business can have one agreement at a time; most last three years, with an annual value limit of £100,000.
Morris said SFI funding made up a large part of the farm’s forecast profit for next year. Plans included extending hedgerows, fencing off watercourses and diversifying vegetation. Another farmer, Rory Lay, secured funding but said the rush forced him to omit options, meaning he would do less for the environment. The NFU called for an explanation of the rapid closure; Defra said it would soon provide details of further funding opportunities in 2027.
