The NFU has called on Defra to provide clarity following the closure, with members sharing experiences of technical issues, delays and uncertainty over future environmental work.
Cumbria dairy and arable farmer Neil Young described the process as “shambolic” and a “fastest finger first” race after errors delayed his application and the window closed before he could submit it.
Neil said: “We’ve had wild bird seed, nature areas and wildlife corridors for the last 30 years. I don’t get any subsidies so I had my hopes set on SFI.
“Now I don’t know what to do, whether we plough up 30 years of biodiversity and put it back into usable land for this year. I don’t want to – you have to have production working alongside nature – but if there’s a chance that the same thing will happen again next time, I then become victim of it again. We need answers straight away, we need to know what the plan is.
“Something needs to change. It should be done like other grants systems, where everybody puts an application and they pick them at random – not fastest finger first.”
A sentiment echoed by Cheshire hill farmer John Cantrell, who contacted his local MP after his application missed the six-hour window. John called the process ‘chaotic’, saying: “It was very unfamiliar to how you normally do an application of this nature. It’s a lottery as to who’s on the internet at the time.
“This couldn’t have come at a worse time for us. It puts us at a crossroads – do we carry on in environmentally friendly farming or do we take a step backwards to a more intensive farming system to make a living? That is the stark reality. The government needs to be clear what they want us to do – we need answers. If they are serious about environmentally friendly farming they will have to increase the budget and make the system fairer so that it’s not just first past the post.”
Another financial blow
On 23 September, Yorkshire West Riding hosted a meeting for farmers to discuss the NFU’s response and support available through other schemes. NFU North Assistant Environment and Land Use Adviser Abigail Teward was on hand to speak to farmers affected.
Yorkshire West Riding Vice-chair Joe Payne commented on Defra’s handling of SFI26 in the Yorkshire Post. He said: “The rapid uptake of the SFI agri-environment scheme came as no surprise, and many Yorkshire farmers including myself have been left without an agreement, which was certainly not from the lack of trying.
“We needed certainty, consistency and cash. Instead, many county farmers have been left confused and facing another financial blow. And the farmers who have spent years delivering for the environment through these schemes have been left stranded.”
At the NFU’s Great British Breakfast event at the Labour Party Conference on 28 October, North members shared their experiences directly with Defra ministers.
Lancashire potato grower Lisa Edwards, who attended the event, said: “On Tuesday 22 September, we looked at the forecast and with rain coming in the next day we opted to dig potatoes and sow wheat, thinking we would sit down in the evening to submit the SFI.
“Having prioritised food production, we missed out on continuing our environmental work and as a tenant farmer we can’t afford to have land which doesn’t generate income.
“The loss of SFI makes ensuring the business remains resilient and managing the land for the future in a changing climate even more stressful.”
Pushing at all levels
The NFU is urging members to contact their MPs and complete the NFU’s survey, with feedback feeding directly into discussions with Defra.
NFU North Regional Board Chair William Maughan said: “I can assure members we are pushing at all levels for a better understanding of the budget, process and for clarity going forward. I encourage members who missed out or were affected by the application process to discuss the issues with their MP.
“Secretary of State Dame Angela Eagle recognised the frustration and anger she has heard from farmers, while speaking at the NFU’s breakfast event at the Labour Party Conference. She vowed to work with us to reform the first-come first-served approach.
“We will strive to work with her and officials to find ways of improving the scheme and application process. We simply cannot have a repeat of the chaos and stress caused in the most recent SFI application window.
“We need all elements of ELMs to deliver for both the environment and the farmers in our region.”
Read more about the NFU's asks and share your views in the NFU survey.
