Defra's Farming and Countryside Programme

Following ongoing disruption to global fuel and energy markets linked to the conflict in the Middle East, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a new fertiliser survey and is asking farmers and land managers in England to share their experiences.

The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) joined ministers and senior industry leaders this week for the first meeting of the Farming and Food Partnership Board, as Government and the food supply chain came together to shape how the new Board will support farm productivity and profitability.

Effective from January 2027 the Greenhouse Gas Protocol has launched its Land Sector and Removals Standard | GHG Protocol enabling companies to measure, report and track emissions and removals from land use and agriculture as well as specified technological removals.

For Members advising farmers on agri-environment schemes in England, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has issued Countryside Stewardship (CS) Mid Tier extension offer letters.

Defra has announced that more than 5,000 farmers in England with Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier (CSMT) agreements, due to expire on 31 December 2025, will be offered a one-year extension.

Defra are extending the application submission deadline for the re-opened SFI 2024 application window until 11:59pm on Monday 1 September 2025.

Government confirms £2.7bn annual farming budget, new SFI details, and £150m in capital grants, setting the stage for a major reset in UK agriculture.

The Government will now allow further applications to be made under Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 24 by those who had started and saved their application within two months of 11 March 2025, but who had not submitted the application by that date.

The UK Government is set to launch several new funding and grant opportunities aimed at boosting farm productivity, improving animal health and welfare, and advancing sustainable farming practices.

The latest figures on Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements and the number of agreements containing each action have been published.

Defra has confirmed this week that the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme will open in 2025.

The second of Defra's quarterly Sustainable Farming Incentive uptake summaries has been published. Policy Manager Andrew Pearson crunches the numbers.