New measures reaffirming how our environmental land management
schemes work alongside food production by limiting the amount of
land farmers can take out of productive actions under the
Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) have been announced today
(Monday 25 March).
While there has been only limited evidence to date of farmers
entering large amounts of their land into actions that take away
food production, some of these actions were being used more than
intended in a small number of cases. The changes will ensure the
scheme continues to support farmers to produce food sustainably
alongside improving the environment.
The scheme is designed to have maximum flexibility and to be
simple to apply for, however we always said we would learn and
adapt as new information became available. So, following feedback
from the farming community, which has been considered throughout
the development of SFI, there is consensus on the need to put in
place some targeted restrictions.
Under the changes, SFI applicants will only be able to put 25% of
their land into six SFI actions that take land out of direct food
production. The actions are:
- Flower-rich grass margins
- Pollen and nectar flower mix
- Winter bird food on arable and horticultural
land
- Grassy field corners and blocks
- Improved grassland field corners or blocks out of
management
- Winter bird food on improved grassland.
The six actions will continue to play an important role in
supporting sustainable food production but were always
intended to be implemented on smaller areas of the farm -
something the new measures will protect.
Farming Minister said:
“Food production is the primary purpose of farming and today we
are taking action to clarify this principle.
“The six actions we are capping were always intended to be
implemented on smaller areas of land, and these changes will help
to maintain this intention and continue our commitment to
maintain domestic food production.”
The UK’s farming schemes pay farmers to take actions that improve
the environment alongside sustainable food production. SFI has
been popular with farmers and to date we have received over
15,000 applications and issued over 14,000 agreement
offers. The vast majority of land in the scheme continues to
produce food – SFI pays farmers to do this in a more sustainable,
resilient way that’s good for both food production and the
environment.
Other measures the government is taking to protect food security
and ensure we continue to produce at least 60% of the food we
consume here in the UK include a new annual UK-wide Food Security
Index to capture and present the data needed to monitor levels of
food security and a commitment to hold the Farm to Fork Summit
annually.
More information regarding the timing of the implementation of
the cap will be released in the coming weeks.
