Understand
Farmers express anger as government sustainable farming incentive funding runs out in hours
Overview
Farmers across the UK have criticised the government's post-Brexit sustainable farming incentive (SFI) funding application process after a £250m fund ran out of budget in under six hours. Industry representatives and farmers described the system as aiasco, leaving many businesses unable to secure support and feeling treated like children.
Key points
- Thousands of farmers missed out on government funding after the latest SFI scheme budget ran out within six hours.
- Farmer Rose Barnecut criticised the application process, stating farmers were treated like kids scrabbling for sweets.
- National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw warned Defra beforehand that demand would far exceed available funding.
- The EFRA Select Committee has launched a survey to gather farmers' experiences regarding the SFI application process.
- Farming Minister Stephen Morgan stated the government would learn lessons from the process and explore alternatives to first-come, first-served applications.