What are you doing in SFI?

[milkloss]

A thread for grassland/livestock farmers. There's lots of discussion threads covering arable too but seeing as SfI seems to want to see the back of livestock farmers I was hoping we could share what we're doing to recoup some lost subsidies.

the options seem few and some very negative opinions but some must be making the best of a bad situation and putting in some claims.

I'm nosy...... so what are you doing?

 

[Wood field]

We are surrounded by dry stone walls, but .. the price to fix them outways the sfi
Otherwise we are all grass and I have yet to be convinced by any of it
My own plan at the moment is to keep improving our pastures with rush removal and muck , and to keep trying to breed our own ewes , I think I’ve got to a point where I don’t have to buy in anymore.
Handling yard and dipping set up being built as I type , make things easier and less reliant on contract help
As an aside we came to farming later and have never had big subs cheque, will still miss it though

 

[milkloss]

Interesting to hear from others.

I should add we’re beef cattle. Never claimed over and above simple bps before and I haven’t really found anything in sfi that would work without major change. Considering igl2, possibly low input grassland but the payment rate doesn’t make sense for the change required. Serious dock issues make the herbal stuff seem a challenge.

 

[steveR]

Interesting to hear from others.

I should add we’re beef cattle. Never claimed over and above simple bps before and I haven’t really found anything in sfi that would work without major change. Considering igl2, possibly low input grassland but the payment rate doesn’t make sense for the change required. Serious dock issues make the herbal stuff seem a challenge.

My take on HL is that when planted, reckon on the "herbs" last 3 years maximum except on light l;and and with really good management.

I have a friend who looked at mine, and he has put in HL under a Welsh scheme, but the grass and clover in there will still be productive, long after the HL has expired Got some here under the STW scheme that has run out of steam, but the money on offer does not warrant reseeding unless I put in a more productive base material in the mix.

Docks not an issue here... yet. But I do need to keep on top of other herbs like ragwort and boar thistle.... Spot treatments off the baby compact/quad seem to be working, but make sure the HL seedbed is as clean as possible of perennial problems before seeding....

 

[topground]

Plan is to start an application and see what it might deliver in net cash terms. I doubt it will meet my threshold where it is worth having the stress of dealing with the RPA. I will then wait for the enquiry from the RPA about why I have started and not proceeded to sign any agreement,
Then I can tell them that the offer does not provide sufficent financial incentive and I won’t be contributing to their 70% take up target which hopefully their performance will be measured by and their rewards reduced as they fail,

 

[steveR]

Plan is to start an application and see what it might deliver in net cash terms. I doubt it will meet my threshold where it is worth having the stress of dealing with the RPA. I will then wait for the enquiry from the RPA about why I have started and proceeded to sign any agreement,
Then I can tell them that the offer does not provide sufficent financial incentive and I won’t be contributing to their 70% take up target which hopefully their performance will be measured by and their rewards reduced as they fail,

Keep us posted please...

 

[drk]

A thread for grassland/livestock farmers. There's lots of discussion threads covering arable too but seeing as SfI seems to want to see the back of livestock farmers I was hoping we could share what we're doing to recoup some lost subsidies.

the options seem few and some very negative opinions but some must be making the best of a bad situation and putting in some claims.

I'm nosy...... so what are you doing?

Had clear out, No to mid tire so no land agent. FA-no NFU- no Up cattle & sheep numbers, told all to sod off, alot £ saved,

 

[Pan mixer]

SAM 1 soil testing £5.80 per ha
HRW1 assess hedges £3 per 100m

No use insecticide (does this apply to pasture, can't be bothered to check) £589 per year

Management £1000 per year for form filling

Health management (one species only) £522 per year (that may just be pigs, can't be bothered to check)

Hedge coppicing.

Actually not doing any even though I am 1 third arable, NE have let me down big style and I don't trust them at all, maxing it on my land where I can.

 

[Cheesehead]

I'm going to a event at Ashford Market about them but so farm not seen anything that I feel is worth it as it seems pointless if it costs £50/a and you get £20/a for doing it if there is no benefit to the business.

Given its the day after my birthday I thought it wouldn't make me any more depressed.

 

[milkloss]

I'm going to a event at Ashford Market about them but so farm not seen anything that I feel is worth it as it seems pointless if it costs £50/a and you get £20/a for doing it if there is no benefit to the business.

Given its the day after my birthday I thought it wouldn't make me any more depressed.

I didn't see the Ashford event in the book, when is it? Probably ought to go take a look.

 

[Cheesehead]

I didn't see the Ashford event in the book, when is it? Probably ought to go take a look.

It was in one of their emails Friday 10/11/2023 at 9:30 to 10:45 in the Amos Hall

Click to register

 

[poorsheepfarmer]

had a call from RPA today to see if i needed any help with my application

 

[easyram1]

We are an all grass farm apart from some fodder beet for winter grazing ewes and some brassica forage crops we sow pre reseeding. We will bring forward as much reseeding as poss into SAM3 over the next 3 years, as this is what our reseeds consist of anyway. We also intend applying for CS grants for planting hedges to subdivide larger fields to make rotational grazing easier and to provide more shelter for outdoor lambing. This is a 100% no brainer for us due to the extra productivity of reseeds and rotational grazing. As Global Ovine told so many people over the last 15 years rotational grazing allows you to ' Increase the size of your farm by 30% for the cost of some fencing and water pipe'. Large numbers of our English customers are doing exactly the same even on upland ground so I am not hearing the general 'anti' sentiments pervading the Forum but hey ho
PS 'GO's' thoughts and advice on grazing and grassland management are in ta booklet ('The Bible') that can be downloaded from the EasyRams website

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Every other call i get now is for SFI herbal ley enqieries

 

[ringi]

We also intend applying for CS grants for planting hedges to subdivide larger fields to make rotational grazing easier and to provide more shelter for outdoor lambing.

Just what it is designed for, so hedges are put in rather then just fences.

 

[Pan mixer]

Just what it is designed for, so hedges are put in rather then just fences.

Under the CS you could only get a grant for fences on no input grass when planting hedges, the cost of the hedge is not much, fencing both sides with a 10 foot gap is expensive.

 

[ringi]

Under the CS you could only get a grant for fences on no input grass when planting hedges, the cost of the hedge is not much, fencing both sides with a 10 foot gap is expensive.

Remember to detect the cost of putting in a single frence that would have been needed if not going for a hedge.

 

[Whitepeak]

A thread for grassland/livestock farmers. There's lots of discussion threads covering arable too but seeing as SfI seems to want to see the back of livestock farmers I was hoping we could share what we're doing to recoup some lost subsidies.

the options seem few and some very negative opinions but some must be making the best of a bad situation and putting in some claims.

I'm nosy...... so what are you doing?

Not looked into SFI very deeply yet, but I've heard today that there will be a payment for grazing with pedigree native cattle breeds,but didn't get any more details. Anyone able to shed more light on that?

 

[Green Grass]

Just started application. About half my PG01 is classed as improved and half not. What box have I ticked in the past to make them different. All grassland is intensively managed. Can I improve them on the system?

 

[Little squeak]

Question for Pan mixer, where did you find "Management £1000 per year for form filling"