- Location
- Yorks
Thought would be interesting to see how well received SFI is.
Poll : Have you signed up to SFI ?
- Thread starter Grass And Grain
- Start date
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
Where is the slot for "Not yet, and I'm not planning to sign up -- ever!"?
- Location
- North Somerset.
Could you add the option; I signed up for the pilot because of the £5K bribe but won’t be signing up to the full scheme as it is?
Spencer
Member
- Location
- North West
What’s SFI? 
- Location
- Ceredigion
Never heard of it sorry
- Location
- South Wiltshire
I have signed up to entry level but only because I pretty much do all the requirements already. But can only claim 66% of land because of double funding rules as I have Mid Tier cover crops.
If I was baling everything, grew less spring crops etc. it wouldn't be worth it, there is little financial incentive to change systems.
If I was baling everything, grew less spring crops etc. it wouldn't be worth it, there is little financial incentive to change systems.
ollie989898
Member
What’s SFI?
Sweet Fudge ThisisItchy.
And if you were currently baling everything, and growing more winter crops, and the financial incentive was high enough to make you change systems....where would the public good be anyway ? There is no public good in meddling with cropping. End of.
- Location
- Ceredigion
My only question ,will someone hold a gun to my head ?
Could I suggest that you ask 'how many acres' as well as 'how many farmers'. Because, I would wager, the acres will be proportionately higher than the farmers. Because it's a big boys scheme.
- Location
- Yorks
Should have done. That said, there's only 3 who have signed up to SFI, so not large enough same size to get true reflection data.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Signed up for SFA, is the other one for Imbeciles?
- Location
- Berkshire
I’ve been looking at it, with mid tier CS as well it’s bloody complicated and too restrictive with the stupid % to adhere to
Let us build our own schemes from the options as per CS
Let us build our own schemes from the options as per CS
- Location
- Yorks
Currently less than 8% signed up or going to sign up.
That's not very good, but neither is it a surprise.
Like we've said, SFI payment rates are derisory and scheme is too inflexible.
Shouldn't be "you must complete Introductory before you can move on to Intermediate".
Should be options to choose from.
They shouldn't be a set area of option for length of agreement. Too inflexible. We can't guarantee getting x% cover crops drilled, or OM added to all the land over 3 years. Weather conditions beat us. Cropping plans change. etc. Offer a payment rate for OM additions, up to a maximum of say 33% of land per year, if farmer only manages 20%..... Farmer then claims for 20%.
Payment rates need to be 4 × current rates to be anything like worth considering.
Many of us are on annual agreements for land. Make SFI annual commitment. A bit like BPS is.
More options.
Choice of options. Not like it is now where it's do everything in Introductory (or get zero cash and you also can't get on to Intermediate).
Farmers hold the key to sequestration of carbon and storage in our soils. We need to be onboard.
Don't forget food production and security is a public good. Don't forget spring cereals typically yield 2.5t/ha lower than autumn sown. Don't forget some soils don't suit spring cropping.
I realise ELMS is a working progress, but jeez, wasn't this scheme destined to fail in its current form?
Who's idea was it?
Was it one person's vision? Or was it a group of DEFRA people who thought it up? What planet were they on?
That's not very good, but neither is it a surprise.
Like we've said, SFI payment rates are derisory and scheme is too inflexible.
Shouldn't be "you must complete Introductory before you can move on to Intermediate".
Should be options to choose from.
They shouldn't be a set area of option for length of agreement. Too inflexible. We can't guarantee getting x% cover crops drilled, or OM added to all the land over 3 years. Weather conditions beat us. Cropping plans change. etc. Offer a payment rate for OM additions, up to a maximum of say 33% of land per year, if farmer only manages 20%..... Farmer then claims for 20%.
Payment rates need to be 4 × current rates to be anything like worth considering.
Many of us are on annual agreements for land. Make SFI annual commitment. A bit like BPS is.
More options.
Choice of options. Not like it is now where it's do everything in Introductory (or get zero cash and you also can't get on to Intermediate).
Farmers hold the key to sequestration of carbon and storage in our soils. We need to be onboard.
Don't forget food production and security is a public good. Don't forget spring cereals typically yield 2.5t/ha lower than autumn sown. Don't forget some soils don't suit spring cropping.
I realise ELMS is a working progress, but jeez, wasn't this scheme destined to fail in its current form?
Who's idea was it?
Was it one person's vision? Or was it a group of DEFRA people who thought it up? What planet were they on?
Last edited:
- Location
- Wiltshire
Serious question, when does a small farmer become a big one? It’s often mentioned on here, I’d guess that nationally I am a large farmer but in this area I am verging on being small.
Having a dairy also confuses the issue, being a high input system, but still with some grazing means I am usually told I am intensive or factory farming, but my friend next door milks over twice the number of cows I have, he’s a grazing guy but is he not more intensive than me?
Of course it’s purely down to geology and geography and not whether I have an acre more or less than somebody else.
Just to add I won’t be joining SFI unless I am forced to or it improves my profit which everything I have read says it won’t.
Bg
- Location
- Yorks
ELS was also like that. Choice of options. Every farm is different. As you say SFI is too restrictive and complicated to fit into cropping plans (which can change at drop of a hat).
- Location
- North Wales
Be far better to pay £1000/acre for grass margins, water margins, hedge margins and bird food crops and any area of decent habitat. Up to say 10% of your farm. With a total cap on max payments or area claimed. My god would farmers look after those areas the best they can to save losing that potential money.
Then leave the remaining 90% of land area to be farmed for production. Win win for the environment and food production.
Then leave the remaining 90% of land area to be farmed for production. Win win for the environment and food production.
- Location
- Berkshire
Yep, I broadly agree with the original aims of the reforms to transfer support from just occupying land to providing “public goods” but Jeez its a dogs breakfast of rules and regs
But however I look at it I’m having to alter cropping or compromise management of spring crops to suit and as soon as that happens the payment rates are totally inadequate
If I wasn’t in CS it would be more achievable (and understandable!) but I think we should resist joining to show a strong message to DEFRA