The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)
Funding for resilient nature-friendly farming
What is the Sustainable Farming Incentive?
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (or SFI for short) is one tier of the government’s Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMs). The scheme is designed to support farmers and land managers in implementing environmentally beneficial food production and resilient land management. It covers payments per hectare for various land use ‘options’, as well as management payments of up to £2000 for the first year. Additional to these payments, you can separately apply for one-off capital grants or grants from the Farming Investment Fund to help implement SFI actions.
Using Land App for your SFI application
With our SFI Templates, users can assess current land use, understand eligibility for specific options, and design and cost SFI plans ready for application – the essential digital companion for a successful and rewarding Sustainable Farming Incentive application.
Please note the use of the SFI Template and subsequent plans indicate what you could receive if successful, and is in no way a binding or guaranteed summary of payment.
SFI 2024 is now open to all farmers and land managers to apply subject to eligibility.
You could receive £40 per hectare for the first year, and £20/ha for the following two years in management payments.*
* for up to the first 50 hectares of your agreement
Who should apply for SFI?
All farmers and land managers should consider applying for the Sustainable Farming Incentive. You can now apply for an SFI agreement if
- you’re a farmer or land manager with ‘management control’ of the land you wish to apply for.
- your land is eligible for the SFI actions indicated in your application
SFI agreements usually last for 3 of 5 years, depending on the actions you have chosen in your agreement (most last 3 years, though some actions are for a 5 year period).
What are the benefits?
SFI is designed to support farmers and land managers to maintain or transition into sustainable management practices that ensure food production whilst benefitting the environment and wider society. Here are just some of the benefits of adopting SFI:
Financial Resilience
As a grant scheme, SFI helps to sustain the resilience of farming businesses whilst supporting rural economies and livelihoods.
Improved Soil Health
SFI encourages practices that enhance soil structure, fertility, and carbon sequestration, leading to more resilient and productive farmland.
Sustainable Food Production
Encouraging environmentally friendly farming practices ensures long-term food security and sustainability, preserving natural resources for future generations.
Improved Water Quality
Practices like reducing pesticide use and introducing watercourse buffers will help prevent run-off and maintain water quality, reducing pollution and supporting aquatic ecosystems.
Enhanced Biodiversity
By promoting wildlife-friendly farming, such as creating habitats and managing hedgerows, SFI supports greater biodiversity, protecting species and ecosystems
Climate Change Mitigation
Sequestering carbon and reducing flood risk and drought all contribute to mitigating climate change whilst becoming resilient to extreme weather events
Streamline your SFI application with Land App
To start your SFI application with Land App, follow these steps:
1. Select the SFI template
Land App hosts a variety of templates to streamline your planning – choose the SFI template for the correct year of the scheme you are applying for (eg: SFI2024, SFI2023).
2. Map and understand your current land use
Using our easy to use mapping tools and array of data layers, map your present land use and understand all the relevant designations you need.
3. Create your Land Management Plan
Our SFI template hosts all the options and payment rates necessary to cost and design an SFI plan, and if using an advisor, our live collaboration features mean both parties are always up to speed.
4. Consult the Government Website
For questions, queries and more information that you might need, visit the government guidance page for SFI.
Find out more about SFI from Land App
Sustainable Farming Incentive 2024: What’s Changed?
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) has introduced significant updates for 2024, marking an expansion of the scheme, both in terms of what it offers and who can apply.
Benefits of Using Land App for Planning your SFI: A Case Study with RB Rural
As the new SFI model is rolled out, and applications can be submitted via the RPA digital portal, more and more people across the sector are turning to digital mapping to understand their land and design a future plan before application.
5 Ways Land App Can Help Plan Diversification
Agriculture in the UK, and around the world, is undergoing a transition. Historic funding mechanisms, especially the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) from the EU, are declining and set to be phased out completely.
Have additional questions?
Send us an email to support@thelandapp.com