The RPA has said more than 28,351 payments have been made, bringing the total amount paid to farmers to £435.6 million.
Payments will continue throughout December and into next year.
The NFU has previously called on the RPA to deliver at least 90% of Countryside Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship payments by the end December, with partial payments used for anyone with outstanding payments in the New Year.
NFU Deputy President David Exwood said it was “encouraging” to see the RPA improving its performance as cashflow continues to be a major issue for many farming businesses.
“We will continue to push government for more clarity on the future of SFI.”
NFU Deputy President David Exwood
He said: “This action provides crucial investment in our sector, following another challenging year of price volatility and high input costs, extreme weather and changes to inheritance tax, and ensures farmers can continue their vital work in producing food and caring for nature with improved financial stability.
"We will continue to push government for more clarity on the future of SFI which would also provide further much-needed confidence for our members.”
Strong start
RPA Chief Executive Neil Hornby said: “The RPA has been working hard to ensure farmers receive their Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship payments as quickly as possible.
“We’ve made a strong start to the 2025 payment window and increased the number of payments made in the first few weeks compared with last year.
“I’m grateful for the commitment of the RPA teams, who have been focused on delivering the best possible service for our customers.”
