Sustainable Farming Incentive is open for applications June 2022

[Jackov Altraids]

For example so Phosphate applications can be adjusted if the Phosphate indices are high, above index 2 / 3 in accordance with guidance on Phosphate in RB209 etc. And Farming Rules for Water.

Just to clarify, would you consider you would benefit from knowing what your levels of SOM were in each field?

Me thinkeths it might be related to some future sequestration calculations. . . .

 

[Two Tone]

When its been made after advice from rspb and such, then what did you expect.
To be fair to janet, she has no farming background and belived all the 'experts' told her. Not realising that most wont work in reality.

Then why have somebody like @Janet Hughes Defra , if she doesn’t understand farming or the sciences behind it?
Especially to come on TFF, trying to convince any of us on it, who clearly do.

It’s about as sensible as me performing a brain surgery operation on a patient without using an anaesthetic, having received instructions on how to do so from an undertaker!

 

[B'o'B]

If you want to see what direction we are all being pushed towards you could do a lot worse than read Fertility Farming by Newman Turner.

 

[Hindsight]

See here…
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-do-the-actions-in-the-arable-and-horticultural-soils-standard

you need to scroll a fair way down to see the photos and they could be better photos (in my opinion)

Thank you. Noted. Seen picture. Now need to see penalties for failure on inspection. Hey ho.

 

[Victor]

Does anybody remember the speech from William Hague replying to the labour government budget when he said it was like"A burgler stealing your car one night and sending you back the hubcaps in the morning"
Think it might be happening here

 

[jondear]

why must I rip up my PP to replace it with herbal leys to achieve a higher level of achievement?

It's like the tree thing !Only get rewarded for planting trees on land that should be cropped !Decent land not rough bits that should be trees !

 

[Ceri]

I didn’t think they could make such a monumentally bad job of it as they surely have so far.

I and just about everybody I know regard the way I farm as sustainable and extremely environmentally friendly. However, I see absolutely no benefit in even beginning to apply for any of SFI at these frankly insulting rates on offer. I have far better ways of spending my time, which quite frankly will earn me far more money!

As was once famously said at this time of year “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!”

@Janet Hughes Defra ^^^^^^

 

[ajd132]

Am I right in saying you don’t need to take any land out of production anymore?

It looks like a doddle and we are already doing it all so I may aswell sign up and take the cash. If they fine me because I’ve done something wrong then I don’t really care as we’ve based our business on getting zero subs.

 

[Ceri]

I didn’t think they could make such a monumentally bad job of it as they surely have so far.

I and just about everybody I know regard the way I farm as sustainable and extremely environmentally friendly. However, I see absolutely no benefit in even beginning to apply for any of SFI at these frankly insulting rates on offer. I have far better ways of spending my time, which quite frankly will earn me far more money!

As was once famously said at this time of year “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!”

In principle, for farming I loved the idea of brexit, taking back control nd all that but I voted to remain as I was 100% convinced that no party could successfully deliver it & would turn into a total car crash.
Look what's happening - I'm saying no more.
Its a very sad state of affairs for farming atm that our only hope is this dreadful war in the Ukraine to focus minds on securing food production but they're that pig ignorant I suspect shelves will have to go empty & food inflation will have to sky rocket even more before they bloody wake up.....

 

[delilah]

Am I right in saying you don’t need to take any land out of production anymore?

It looks like a doddle and we are already doing it all so I may aswell sign up and take the cash. If they fine me because I’ve done something wrong then I don’t really care as we’ve based our business on getting zero subs.

A pretty good summary: It is taking the public money away from the farming types/ systems/ geographic areas that need it, and giving it to the ones that don't need it.
(which isn't, in any way, a comment on your or any other individual business, but a general point on the SFI) .

 

[Hindsight]

Wonder if, how and when Red Tractor will incorporate SFI into Assurance standards.

 

[Courier]

SFI is only open to BPS claimants (more than 5 hectares) at the moment, but we'll be extending SFI to farms smaller than 5 hectares in due course (likely to be after 2024), so you should be able to access it then if not before

£22/ha or £8.90/ac is hardly going to cover the soil tests, let alone the time and effort of doing them.

As an ex-dairy farmer who from the 1980’s built up a 5 milk round producer processor doorstep milk delivery business before the supermarkets got involved in milk retailing and now the age of 72 and family involvement with a diverse business now comprising arable crops (share farmed), miscanthus, (self and contract based) a medium wind turbine and a small courier/storage/distribution business operated from the farm office I am considering the “Exit Scheme” for my personal position.

@Janet Hughes Defra - Were I to take this “Exit Scheme” would this mean that my successors will be unable to “benefit” from SFI since they could not be considered to be BPS claimants ?

 

[Hindsight]

Am I right in saying you don’t need to take any land out of production anymore?

It looks like a doddle and we are already doing it all so I may aswell sign up and take the cash. If they fine me because I’ve done something wrong then I don’t really care as we’ve based our business on getting zero subs.

End of WInter Beans by the looks of it. But you are right. I had a quick ponder and no quite a few fen farms who most likley will not comply but I then thought my as well apply to pick up the £9 acre, carry on as usual and operate on the basis of inspected and found wrong by RPA Inspectorate just hand back the cash, provided no additional penalty over and above the £9 acre, as that £9 acre ain't gonna make or break a farm. Work on basis chances of being inspected quite low. Hey ho.

 

[Will7]

Am I right in saying you don’t need to take any land out of production anymore?

It looks like a doddle and we are already doing it all so I may aswell sign up and take the cash. If they fine me because I’ve done something wrong then I don’t really care as we’ve based our business on getting zero subs.

We are here too. It is terminating the green covers 6 weeks before drilling or by the end of feb is my problem. 6 weeks is just not long enough on heavy land at that time of year.

 

[J 1177]

We are here too. It is terminating the green covers 6 weeks before drilling or by the end of feb is my problem. 6 weeks is just not long enough on heavy land at that time of year.

Yep same here, unworkable.

 

[Bramble]

For £9/acre I’m don’t think I’m even going to spend my time reading through the forms/guidance and complete an application form.

Other professions (land agents, soil sampling, vets) seem to be able to get their time paid for properly. Our vet was rattling on about a new welfare initiative, we could claim £500? for him to do little more than write our Herd Health Plan. It currently costs £200.

 

[Nearly]

Never!

 

[Vader]

We are here too. It is terminating the green covers 6 weeks before drilling or by the end of feb is my problem. 6 weeks is just not long enough on heavy land at that time of year.

Again they dont get that as they been advised by experts who base it all on good land...

 

[Vader]

For £9/acre I’m don’t think I’m even going to spend my time reading through the forms/guidance and complete an application form.

Other professions (land agents, soil sampling, vets) seem to be able to get their time paid for properly. Our vet was rattling on about a new welfare initiative, we could claim £500? for him to do little more than write our Herd Health Plan. It currently costs £200.

Health plan... that 1 does annoy me.
We closed herd.
Use no vaccinations and only use anti biotics rarely on individual cases.
Prime beef so very fit beast which shows good health.
Yet need a health plan....

 

[roscoe erf]

Which is, pretty much, the objective.

About time they got an objective right