Start SFI now or wait until 2024 options are included?

[Frank-the-Wool]

Having watched the DEFRA SFI Webinar am I the only one slightly confused by the changes to come and when is the best time to start all of this.

So far we have not dipped a toe in the water on this as until the 2024 options were announced the options for an all grass farm were not particularly interesting.
This has not changed hugely but with some of the mid tier options being included may encourage us to enter into this.

Janet Hughes suggested that the new options will be available from the middle of the year, so I presume if we want to enter the SFI with the new options then we cannot even start to do anything until this is all included.

The Hedge row options almost need a set of guidelines written on their own and how the best way of doing the monitoring. Should you do the monitoring on the same week every year? Are woodland edges that are cut infrequently a hedge? Are all trees eligible in hedges (Hawthorns don't grow very big and usually blow over!) What happens when Ash trees die? Where new hedges have been planted can you claim from the time you plant them?

If we are going to enter this then we only want to be doing this once and then review every 3 years. Making changes every year looks to be a recipe for disaster.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I have a similar problem in that I want to apply for the stone wall maintenance payments on some land on an FBT that ends in November 2027. If I delay my SFI application until this is available in the summer I am losing out on about 6 months payments for the rest of the scheme. If I can only add new options to an existing scheme on its anniversary which would be say March 2025 then I don’t have management control of the land for the full 3 years from then.

From what I researched yesterday you can have more than one scheme running at the same time so the only option is to apply for a second scheme in the summer, but I would like clarification on that before I apply

 

[alomy75]

Sooner you start; sooner the anniversary will be here to make changes. You know full well it will drag on into the autumn by the time they get sorted

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

That won’t work for me on my FBT land

 

[onthehoof]

My plan is to (try to) exit our current HLS agreement on 1st November 2024 - the end of one complete year, and hopefully by then all SFI options are available so we will go straight into that or combination of CS/SFI, I’m worried if we come out of HLS halfway through a year we will lose the whole year’s payment

 

[Clive]

I've just submitted my 24 agreement, I need the March start date to make it work, despite not being able to add DD and precision farming standards yet (worth over £100/ha to me) - I will just add them when they become available or start a additional agreement

 

[Pigless]

I've just submitted my 24 agreement, I need the March start date to make it work, despite not being able to add DD and precision farming standards yet (worth over £100/ha to me) - I will just add them when they become available or start a additional agreement

Check the payment rates before accepting, mines come back for a 1st march start date, but with the old payment rates and the helpline thinks it might automatically change but they are not sure. Think I'll need a bit of clarification before accepting!

 

[Zippy768]

I've just submitted my 24 agreement, I need the March start date to make it work, despite not being able to add DD and precision farming standards yet (worth over £100/ha to me) - I will just add them when they become available or start a additional agreement

What is the difference between a march 1st and April 1st start date? Why march so important?

 

[Clive]

What is the difference between a march 1st and April 1st start date? Why march so important?

discussed at length in other threads

 

[Clive]

Check the payment rates before accepting, mines come back for a 1st march start date, but with the old payment rates and the helpline thinks it might automatically change but they are not sure. Think I'll need a bit of clarification before accepting!

its all at old rates right now - seems everything announced at OFC is not reality until later this year

probably gives the MP's opportunity to announce the same extra cash again just before any election


I think rates will just change when they come into force - that's my experience of CS anyway

 

[Zippy768]

discussed at length in other threads

No, I get the spring start date. With ahl2 and ahl1. I get that.
But apart from getting paid earlier. What does the month of march gain you? Won't be sowing ahl1? Even if ahl2 has finish by end of feb

 

[yellow belly]

Get one in now
then start another one when the new actions are available
they aim to amalgamate multiple Sfi and stewardship at some point

any delay just reduces your income

 

[Rossymons]

I'm looking to crack on sooner than later. Especially as my FACTS ticket has just come through so why wait

 

[HallFarmBill]

its all at old rates right now - seems everything announced at OFC is not reality until later this year

probably gives the MP's opportunity to announce the same extra cash again just before any election


I think rates will just change when they come into force - that's my experience of CS anyway

The new rates came into force on 1 Jan 2024 according to DEFRA

https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/20...etails-of-actions-and-payments/#comment-15213

Quite why they've still not updated the rates in the SFI application tool, is a good question!

 

[Badshot]

I suppose it depends on your views really.
If you can enter now and get £20-30k a year, you'll get about half that before the new stuff starts later this year.

 

[yellow belly]

I suppose it depends on your views really.
If you can enter now and get £20-30k a year, you'll get about half that before the new stuff starts later this year.

Then aply for the new stuff when it come up
by 2026 they will have amalgamated mid tier and Sfi and have more flexibility regarding entering and removing actions

they need to do that to get the environmentle benefits they are aiming for

 

[Badshot]

Then aply for the new stuff when it come up
by 2026 they will have amalgamated mid tier and Sfi and have more flexibility regarding entering and removing actions

they need to do that to get the environmentle benefits they are aiming for

I'm either going to add to my existing agreement later this year, or possibly start a new one, with a different start date.