It's important to remember that the primary job of farmers is to produce food for us to eat - thus ensuring our food security and maintaining a viable rural economy. It's right that the Government also subsidises pro-nature activity on farmland if this comes at a cost to farmers. This is the purpose behind the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which was designed to encourage farmers to produce food sustainably and to protect the environment. In a small number of cases, however, the SFI has led to large parts of some farms being put to uses other than food production.
As a result, new measures have been announced this week limiting the amount of land farmers can take out of productive use under the SFI. The changes will ensure the scheme continues to support farmers to produce food sustainably alongside improving the environment.
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 Mark Spencer 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.”
