SFI Pilot questions / thoughts

[Sid]

Plenty of articles in the media/ SM ref the above comments!

Then quote just one article.
Should be easy

 

[delilah]

I haven't seen any mention of getting paid for carbon sequestration by having permanent pasture either from Defra or the private sector

Agreed. Different subject.
edit: change 'carbon sequestration' to 'soil organic matter' in my paper, Defra absolutely see SOM as being an objective of the SFI.

 

[delilah]

We can make suggestions but DEFRA will make up their own mind.

Then we make suggestions. Yes ?

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Then quote just one article.
Should be easy

GUTH has rather put 2+2 together and made 5, but in essence is correct.

I have certainly read a press release from the NFU in which they expected that the number of farmers could be reduced by 30% and was shocked by the absence of any suggestion that this might be a bad thing.
It would be interesting to know how the NFU measure their success given the continuous decline in the number of farmers, farm incomes and Britain's self sufficiency over decades.

We do know their policy is self preservation and moving to 'lifestyle' members.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

GUTH has rather put 2+2 together and made 5, but in essence is correct.

I have certainly read a press release from the NFU in which they expected that the number of farmers could be reduced by 30% and was shocked by the absence of any suggestion that this might be a bad thing.
It would be interesting to know how the NFU measure their success given the continuous decline in the number of farmers, farm incomes and Britain's self sufficiency over decades.

We do know their policy is self preservation and moving to 'lifestyle' members.

Don't the NFU only represent around 30% of UK farmers anyway? (A bit unfair, I know, because they only represent ENGLISH farmers, but just how representative are they of all English working farmers? )

 

[Sid]

GUTH has rather put 2+2 together and made 5, but in essence is correct.

I have certainly read a press release from the NFU in which they expected that the number of farmers could be reduced by 30% and was shocked by the absence of any suggestion that this might be a bad thing.
It would be interesting to know how the NFU measure their success given the continuous decline in the number of farmers, farm incomes and Britain's self sufficiency over decades.

We do know their policy is self preservation and moving to 'lifestyle' members.

2+2=5 = market talk.

"Could be reduced" life's full of could, maybes and possibles.

Area based subs are going and I can't see any member organisations fighting to save them, can you?
What has to be done is to make sure any new scheme adequately rewards those who deliver the "public good" not for this reward to pass through their hands to a bunch of "advisors ".

The move to "lifestyle " members would see their overall income drop massively. I don't see that switch happening any time soon myself.

 

[average farmer]

all seems far to complicated to the average farmer with with no real benefits for me the land owner/tenant. needs to be simplified so all the money isn't going to land agents and inspectors or people checking the claims.

I think 10% of land taken out of production would be fair for £100/ha and leave it up to farmers to choose from a few option of getting the 10% if they want to.

autumn sown cover/wild bird mix/bee mix
over winter stubble followed by a spring sown cover
buffer strips on dykes
buffer strips on hedges
hedges have to be a minimum size

everything else could be paid for with grants if any moneys left over from not paying the land agents/inspectors

probably far too simple and purely thinking from an arable farmers pov but plenty of time for the livestock chaps to get muck on the cover crops .

 

[Jackov Altraids]

2+2=5 = market talk.

"Could be reduced" life's full of could, maybes and possibles.

Area based subs are going and I can't see any member organisations fighting to save them, can you?
What has to be done is to make sure any new scheme adequately rewards those who deliver the "public good" not for this reward to pass through their hands to a bunch of "advisors ".

The move to "lifestyle " members would see their overall income drop massively. I don't see that switch happening any time soon myself.

Not could, expect.

What other union would carry an expectation of losing a third of their members with nothing more than a gallic shrug.

I'm not sure area payments benefited farmers hugely but it did put £billions into agriculture. That money is now being diverted out of agriculture and the NFU are twiddling their thumbs, still offering to go and stand in the corner and repent for cow farts.

The idea of a 'lifestyle' member would have been ridiculed not long ago. They are already switching.

 

[jonnieboy]

Just working through the options now
I really don't want to (and probably wont be allowed to )be taking land out of production so didn't really look at that option.
Buffering watercourses has anyone worked it out per ha, looks like its £260 ish ? Hardly worth it ?
As someone said previously this it a big environmental win and it should provide a wheat margin at the least ?
If Defra are looking in perhaps they should update their ABC book I think its out of date
Soils standard may be our only option
I plan on buffering ditches anyway with grass but it might be better left out of a scheme to avoid the rules for the small amount it offers

 

[delilah]

Just seen this came out yesterday, not sure if it has any changes relevant to pilot applications but presumably some reason for putting it out.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sustainable-farming-incentive-pilot

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Just seen this came out yesterday, not sure if it has any changes relevant to pilot applications but presumably some reason for putting it out.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sustainable-farming-incentive-pilot

The current offer is neither simple nor attractive imho.

Expecting the RPA to "refine and simplify" the application and compliance process will be interesting!

Advisers hired to help implement SFI - Isn't the idea that SFI is simple enough not to require paid advice? It certainly doesn't currently pay enough to justify paying for advice, especially from the types of source discussed (who all have a history of milking the job in the process).

 

[Grass And Grain]

The sward composition of some grassland doesn't easily fit into criteria of Improved Grassland, or that of Low And No Input Grassland; particularly where there are different environmental conditions with a land parcel.

I fear a penalty if the inspector disagrees with the sward composition.

Which grassland specification do we use? And/or can DEFRA consider a less prescriptive definition to overcome this problem.

 

[Walton2]

The sward composition of some grassland doesn't easily fit into criteria of Improved Grassland, or that of Low And No Input Grassland; particularly where there are different environmental conditions with a land parcel.

I fear a penalty if the inspector disagrees with the sward composition.

Which grassland specification do we use? And/or can DEFRA consider a less prescriptive definition to overcome this problem.

Sward composition disagreements no doubt settled by DNA analysis!
Or am I just being cynical?