²ÝÁñÉçÇø

As the days lengthen and grass begins to grow, thoughts move to first cut silage. But after a difficult end to 2023, what should farmers be focusing on?

²ÝÁñÉçÇø said Defra must value the grassland landscapes and biodiversity that upland farms provide

Defra said there would be a 10 per cent increase in the average value of agreements in the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship schemes, driven by increased payment rates.

Defra Secretary of State Steve Barclay pledges to make farmers' lives easier

²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian takes a look back at a turbulent 12 months for the farming industry

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said many farmers in her constituency who were currently undertaking positive environmental work are ‘ineligible' for the SFI scheme

The application portal for SFI will be closed between December 27 2023- January 2 2024. Any draft SFI applications that are not submitted before December 31 2023 will be lost and not recoverable when the portal reopens again in the new year

When it comes to the application process, the delivery and the options available to all farmers, there are some inconsistencies, which the industry hopes will be ironed out in the next SFI announcement

NFU modelling work showed on average upland farm businesses lost 37 per cent of their support payments under the current Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship options

Baroness Kate Rock said with many of the responses from the Government packed into the Farm Tenancy forum, a lot was resting on its success, adding that the sector needed to start seeing ‘proactive thoughtful support'