The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) aims to help farmers manage land in a way that improves food production and is more environmentally sustainable.
It is the first of 3 new environmental schemes being introduced under the Agricultural Transition Plan.
The other 2 schemes are Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery.
In June 2022, 3 standards were launched within the SFI:
- arable and horticulture soils standard
- improved grassland soils standard
- moorland standard
In 2023, 6 new standards were introduced within the SFI:
- nutrient management standard
- integrated pest management standard
- hedgerows standard
- arable and horticultural land standard
- improved grassland standard
- low/no input grassland standard