Defra has announced that it expects to open 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications on 30 June, with a limited test phase starting around 18 June.
This test phase will involve a small number of eligible farmers to “test and refine the application service in a controlled way” before it is fully rolled out.
Defra confirmed the SFI26 scheme is an iterative version of the 2024 offer, with many features remaining the same. Any modifications are to simplify and streamline the offer and it has published near final versions of the scheme covering:
- Terms and conditions that apply to all SFI26 agreements
- Scheme rules, which explain the mandatory requirements set in the SFI26 terms and conditions
- The requirements for each SFI26 action
- Guidance to help applications and manage SFI26 agreements
The NFU welcomes the SFI26 scheme guidance, but urges that budget transparency is needed with 28,000 expiring agreements this year. “Farmers and growers with agreements expiring this year still need certainty that they can apply ahead of their agreements expiring and that there will be sufficient budget available to give them reasonable opportunity to continue with their existing environmental delivery on farm,” said NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt
