“What is pleasing is that Defra has taken the NFU’s feedback on board in a number of areas where we were concerned about early plans for the new SFI.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
The latter of these has continued to be a contentious issue, with the NFU President asking in his opening speech at the NFU’s Conference today: ”Where has the £1.85bn that was going out in BPS gone? No one can tell me.”
Speaking to delegates during her political address, the Defra Secretary said she was “determined to give British farming the foundation it needs to grow”.
She said: “Partnership shapes everything we are doing.”
She said farming would receive a £345 million boost, broken down into grants under the Farming Innovation Programme and Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, as well as an increase in funding for capital grants.
What’s new for SFI?
Building on her commitment to deliver a “simpler” SFI, Ms Reynolds revealed that the reformed offer will have 71 actions, down from the 102 previously available under the SFI24 extended offer.
Agreements will be capped at £100,00 per year to manage budget pressures. Emma Reynolds said that payment rates would also be reduced for three arable actions, with the full list of actions available due to be published later today.
The first application window for SFI will open in June for ‘small farms’, which the Defra Secretary has today clarified as those with holdings between 3 and 50 hectares that are registered with the RPA. It will also be open for those not already in an ELM agreement, followed by a wider, second application window in September.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said the offer “appears to strike the right balance between simplifying the process and maintaining flexibility, while still retaining preferable actions for farmers and growers”.
“I said today that stopping the decline of UK food production would be good for our economy, good for our national security and good for our natural environment. If government agrees, we can collectively deliver,” Tom continued.
“It’s good to see the recognition of the uplands by maintaining actions that support the much loved landscapes in which they work, but we’ll need to work through the wider detail of the scheme,” he added, in reference to increased payment rates for moorland actions. This uplift will apply to existing SFI agreements with these actions.
“What is pleasing is that Defra has taken the NFU’s feedback on board in a number of areas where we were concerned about early plans for the new SFI,” he said. The NFU has been engaging with its membership on what they wanted to see from a future SFI, receiving strong feedback that farmers needed clear guidance, flexibility, and certainty around the future offer.
Looking at ELMs more widely, the Defra Secretary committed to an increased funding of £225 million for capital grants, with a new round opening in July 2026.
Animal welfare boost
The Farming Innovation Fund will see a £70 million boost, alongside £50 million for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund which helps support farmers to invest in equipment to improve productivity, animal health and welfare and manage slurry.
Defra will also consult on making its Animal Health and Welfare review mandatory – currently, farmers can apply to access funding for vet services covering pigs, sheep and cows.
Continuing along the theme of animal welfare, Defra will also launch a new grant this summer for poultry biosecurity reviews to help in the fight against avian influenza.
Budget transparency
Ms Reynolds committed to working in partnership with the nation’s farmers and growers, adding that she was taking forward her promises on this as well as commitments on clarity and confidence.
“Let’s build farming’s resilience together,” she said. She also confirmed the first meeting of the Farming and Food Partnership Board would be in March and that the NFU would be represented on it.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw responded: “It’s encouraging to hear the Defra Secretary of State reaffirm her commitment to working in partnership with farmers and growers.
“Today’s announcement on investment in productivity demonstrates that she recognises the vital contribution our nation’s food producers make to the economy and to our national security.
“The Secretary of State said today that the ‘government is serious about partnership’ and is ‘committed to giving [the industry] clarity and stability’. I welcome that, but key to this must be transparency around the farming budget, as well as a long-term plan for food and farming. The resilience of our food system can’t be taken for granted, underlying profitability is essential to driving the investment needed and the resilient food system that society needs.”
Track our lobbying work on SFI:
NFU outlines asks following member feedback
The NFU’s survey on the future of SFI sees more than 600 members express their views on SFI reform, building on announcements made by Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds at the Oxford Farming Conference.
NFU calls for accessible offer during Efra Committee session
During a session on ELMs held at the NFU's Westminster office, we discussed the need for a comprehensive and accessible new SFI offer with MPs on the committee.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw with Efra Committee Chair Alistair Carmichael
NFU launches survey on what a future SFI should look like
We call on our members to take our survey and help shape our lobbying efforts on SFI.
Defra unveils further details at the Oxford Farming Conference
Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds outlines the reforms to SFI during her speech at the Oxford Farming Conference. There will be two application windows this year. The first one will open in June and will prioritise ‘smaller farms’ and those without an existing ELMs agreement; the second round will open in September for a wider range of applications.
NFU Deputy President David Exwood said it was positive to hear the Defra Secretary talk about “much-needed plans to reform the SFI” but warned that a huge lack of detail remains.
Photograph: Oxford Farming Conference
NFU calls for more clarity on SFI26
As the RPA announces its payment performance on Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship payments, the NFU continues to call for more clarity on the future of SFI.
NFU welcomes ‘encouraging signals’ from Defra Secretary on SFI
Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds says she's committed to delivering stability and would be looking at ways the SFI scheme could be altered to better support sustainable farming and drive growth.
NFU Deputy President David Exwood says the announcement that SFI will open in the first half of 2026 is welcome, but that further details "can't come soon enough".
Uplands groups present new report to MPs, with SFI marked as a top priority
The groups deliver the recent NFU report setting out the essential foundations of a resilient uplands area and the policies needed to enable this.
NFU members talked to their MPs about the particular challenges of managing these iconic landscapes, the crucial role farm businesses play in our rural communities and the urgent need to make the SFI work for our uplands.
NFU secures Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier rollover for thousands of farmers
The NFU secures a one-year extension for CSMT, giving businesses certainty while the reformed SFI offer is still being developed.
Concerns highlighted to new Tenant Farming Commissioner
The NFU is the first to welcome new Tenant Farming Commissioner Alan Laidlaw into his role during a visit to Deputy President David Exwood's farm.
Key among the issues David raises with the Commissioner is the uncertainty around future environmental schemes, particular for those in the uplands.
(L-R), David Exwood (NFU Deputy President), Martin Lines (CEO of Nature Friendly Farming Network), Gavin Lane (Deputy President of the CLA), Emma Reynolds (Secretary of State), George Dunn (TFA Chief Exec), Alan Laidlaw (Defra Tenant Farming Commissioner). Photograph: Crown Copyright.
Uncertainty over agri-enivronment schemes raised with new Defra Secretary
Emma Reynolds, MP for Wycombe, is appointed as the new Defra Secretary of State following a Cabinet reshuffle.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw meets with her during her first day in post. The meeting covers a variety of issues including the continued uncertainty of agri-environment schemes.
NFU presses Farming Minister at Great Yorkshire Show
NFU President Tom Bradshaw meets with Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner alongside NFU members where they discuss the future of SFI, support for upland farmers and the importance of water for food production and abstraction.
Defra commits to provide more details on reformed SFI offer
The NFU urges Defra to ensure that the updated SFI scheme works for all farmers after Defra Secretary Steve Reed said details on the reformed scheme would be available this summer during a speech at Groundswell.
SFI scheme reopens to 1000s of applicants after legal threats from NFU members
Defra is forced to reopen SFI24 to around 3,000 applicants after a group of NFU-backed farmers threatens litigation over its decision to close the scheme without notice.
NFU presents member feedback to Defra
The NFU surveys its members on SFI. Feedback was subsequently presented to the both the Minister and officials.
NFU hosts roundtable with Farming Minister on SFI
A farming roundtable organised by the NFU meets with Food Security and Rural Affairs Minister Daniel Zeichner to explain the crushing impact of Defra’s decision to close SFI applications and raise the urgent need for transparency from the department.
NFU member case studies, gathered since the news of the closure, are presented to Mr Zeichner during the meeting, to demonstrate the direct impact this will have on businesses.
NFU criticises sudden closure of SFI to new applicants
The NFU has branded Defra a “failing department” after it announced, without warning, that it is no longer accepting new applications for SFI24 as of today.
Defra says the SFI24 budget has been allocated, and that it has therefore reached completion.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw warns that this is “another shattering blow to English farms delivered, yet again, with no warning, no understand of the industry and a complete lack of compassion or care”.
Meet the speakers:
Emma Reynolds MP
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Previous roles included working as economic secretary to the Treasury and parliamentary secretary at HM Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions.
As Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma has overall responsibility for the department, with specific responsibilities including the budget, international relations, senior appointments and economic growth.
Tom Bradshaw
NFU President
The home farm is based around arable production but has also diversified into equestrian and renewables.
Tom has represented the NFU from Local Branch Chairman through to Chair of the National Combinable Crops Board.
Tom was elected to the position of NFU President in February 2024.
Responsibilities
- Animal health and welfare incl. bTB
- Trade and standards
- Climate, energy and net zero
- Food supply chain (fair dealing, mergers and acquisitions, competition, regulation)
- Animal ID and movements
- Assurance review
- Taxation and fiscal policy
- Immigration
