Farmers' fury as race for £233m funding compared to 'scramble for Oasis tickets'
Summary
Thousands of farmers in England missed out on a £233 million government green funding scheme because the application process closed in under six hours. Farming groups criticized the quick closure and called for better funding and a fairer application system to support environmentally-friendly farming.Key Facts
- The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme opened for applications at 10:00 BST and closed by 15:48 BST the same day due to the budget being fully allocated.
- The scheme gives payments to farmers who adopt nature-friendly farming practices, replacing previous EU subsidies after Brexit.
- Farming groups, including the National Farmers' Union (NFU), said many farmers were left without funding and want the government to explain the fast closure.
- NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said demand was high because farmers need financial certainty amidst current cost pressures.
- The Wildlife Trusts said the funding is too low and urged the Treasury to allocate more money to help farming adapt to climate change.
- The Nature Friendly Farming Network criticized the SFI's short application windows and suggested continuous, longer-term agreements instead.
- The government announced an additional £20 million was added to the fund, on top of £50 million previously announced.
- The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said they will provide more funding opportunities in 2027.
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