WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH SFI?

At Groundswell on Thursday, Defra Secretary, Steve Reed, announced the reopening of the capital grant scheme (see above) and also talked about what happens next with SFI.  He said: “Later this summer, I will provide more details of our reformed SFI offer. We are working with farmers to shape the scheme, which will start accepting applications in the new year.….Our reformed SFI will maximise benefits for the environment, particularly around water quality and biodiversity, so we can clean up our polluted rivers, welcome wildlife back to farms, and strengthen the natural foundations that are vital to sustainable food production.  We will simplify the SFI and support farmers to take on packages of actions which, when done together, achieve more for nature. And I know we need to upgrade the IT system so it’s easier for farmers to submit applications.”  You can read his speech here.