Reduction in Combinable Crops Output as a Result of SFI

Combinable crop tonneage reduction as a result of SFI, harvest 2025?

  • 0% reduction, I’m maintaining my crop output.

    Votes: 55 36.2%
  • 25% reduction.

    Votes: 67 44.1%
  • 50% reduction.

    Votes: 21 13.8%
  • 75% reduction

    Votes: 3 2.0%
  • 100% reduction - no combinable crop output.

    Votes: 6 3.9%

  • Total voters
    152

fudge

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire.
I am reluctant to speculate on how others might best use their resources. But on the face of it there is no reason to persist with combinable break crops. Personally I think cereal production won’t fall by much since “farmers will be farmers”.
In the longer term, the export of livestock production will greatly reduce uk arable output. This will have a greater effect than SFI options.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
I’m reducing my combinable crops by 50%. Some of that will be OSR and beans so cereal output won’t drop much. That arable area will go into schemes of the non grassland type. The temporary grass and sheep numbers won’t change but herbal leys will gradually be introduced. We are small though. So on the one hand we won’t make much difference but on the other it’s tempting to reduce arable combinables to zero as what’s left now is hardly worth bothering with (50 acres of cereals).
But I’ve come round to the idea of using SFI breaks etc, rebuilding tired soils and reducing costs and risks.
Edited to add going to spring instead of winter barley so I can do an overwinter cover and no insecticide payment will reduce cereal tonneage on top of the modest reduction in cereal area drilled.
 
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DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Perhaps sfi might be the savour this year after wet winter, but have reduced effect next season.
Will people modify the three yearly agreement annually or just leave it? I suppose a lot depends. I intend to apply this august and leave areas fixed for three years. I’m not so influenced by the ups and downs of weather or even markets. It’s more a consideration of poor soils never really averaging great yields.
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
Cereals will be maintained on 40% reduced, area for other reasons outside my control. But kit is all paid for, remaining land is better land and mostly owned, still enjoy it, neighbours still need straw, etc.
Will try to engage with sfi on low input permanent grassland.
 
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Zippy768

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dorset/Wilts
About 45% not to be cropped in harvest 2025.
Around a 35% is a sfi "beeakcrop".
5% still in CS
5% put down to Herbal Lays.
Couple of wet acres here and there permanently taken out.

Will be a quick harvest that year.
No new Sprayer for a while now
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 116 38.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 116 38.3%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 42 13.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 6 2.0%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 5 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 18 5.9%

Expanded and improved Sustainable Farming Incentive offer for farmers published

  • 218
  • 1
Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer from July will give the sector a clear path forward and boost farm business resilience.

From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Sir Mark Spencer MP Published21 May 2024

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Full details of the expanded and improved Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer available to farmers from July have been published by the...
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