Sustainable Farming Incentive - Pilot Information (including PAYMENT RATES)

midlandslad

Member
Location
Midlands
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...s-plans-for-piloting-and-launching-the-scheme

To me this looks far from straightforward and those who moaned about the complexities of the BPS application process had better not look!

So basically there are three tiers to the ELMS, with the SFI being the broad and shallow part, from which you can then select one (or more) of the eight standards and within each standard there are introductory, intermediate and advanced levels.

As an example if you had a 400 acre arable farm with no boundary features and you applied for the land and soils standard on all the land you would receive between £23/acre (introductory) and £54/acre (advanced), which equates to £9,200 to £21,600/annum.

Assuming the above is the payment once the BPS has been removed, which would be say £85/acre and £34,000/annum, there is a shortfall of income of between £12,400 - 24,800/annum, before you take into account the extra costs and income forgone of the new scheme.
 

AndrewM

Member
BASIS
Location
Devon
Arable and horticultural land standard

Introductory level (£28 per hectare)Intermediate level (£54 per hectare) All actions in the introductory level plusAdvanced level (£74 per hectare) All actions in the introductory and intermediate levels plus
Provide year-round resources for farmland birds and insectsImprove nutrient use efficiency and reduce loses to the environment by carrying out a nutrient budgetProvide nesting and shelter for wildlife by having areas of tall vegetation and scrub
Better meet your soil requirements by following a nutrient management planIncrease habitat for farm and aquatic wildlife through rotational ditch managementBenefit from crop pest predators by locating their habitats next to cropped areas
Minimise emissions of ammonia through rapid incorporation of organic manures and slurry on ploughed landBetter target your nutrient application by carrying out soil mappingUse efficient precision application equipment for fertilisers and organic manures
Additional actionAs in introductory levelAs in introductory level
This applies only: to in-field trees on arable and horticultural land
Actions required: protect your in-field trees and provide a habitat for wildlife by having a buffer
Additional payment on top of the base payment: £10 per tree
 

AndrewM

Member
BASIS
Location
Devon
Available from late 2022, for those claiming bps. 7 other components covering soils, grazing, woodlands trees. Lots looks achievable, but paperwork will be big
 

WOODCHIP

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
midlands
Looking at payments of £74 hectare for advanced options for what they are asking it’s not worth the hassle, plus £10 a tree extra 😂 . I won’t be rushing to join in.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
It’s not a substitute for BPS, it’s an “alternative crop” and not a very appealing one at that.
Just about got the place back to 4 x 50 acre arable blocks now. Soon be all combinable once the beet is finished. Plough it all in 16 days, drill in 8, combine in 8, bit of spray n fert in between and/or do something more profitable and/or let it.
No more clatting about. We can’t afford the sort of administrative overhead these schemes entail, especially on a small place. Precision mapping and variable rate fert technology on 200 acres - they are having a laugh.
 

Tubbylew

Member
Location
Herefordshire
I must admit, I've only scanned it so far, but it looks fairly complicated to say the least, and a quick reckon up would suggest that the rates on offer are easily replaced with a few more cows (on this patch, at least), but the real issue I can see at the outset is minimum sward height. I'd give my left bollock for 3 inches of grass atm. but after the wet autumn and winter just gone I simply couldn't commit to a prescibed measurment, unless I blast fert on early autumn, if it's dry enough.
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Couple of queries:
1)
Can someone point me to the Defra definition of 'tree', as opposed to, say, 'sapling', or 'bush'.
2)
Tree in an arable field: £10.
Tree in a grass field: £3.
Tree stood in a boundary between the two: ? Tree in a field in a rotation ?

(trying not to laugh here)
Agreed. Does a 6" diameter ash pay the same as a 300 year old oak with a huge crown? Especially if you have to leave several metres outside the crown radius ungrazed!
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.7%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 64 34.6%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.2%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,287
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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