sustainable farming incentive

Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrats MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, writes about how farmers feel stranded and let down following Defra's sudden decision to close SFI applications

National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive Phil Stocker shares his thoughts following a meeting on March 17 with Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner and other industry leaders to discuss the closure of SFI

Hosts of The Rest is Politics podcast discuss why Labour should change their mind on Inheritance Tax changes, why rural Labour MPs are under pressure to deliver for farmers and the importance of direct payments in agriculture

Simon Britton, of Knight Frank, said struggling 'upland farmers' could benefit from a redesign of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme but arable and lowland livestock farms may need to 'reconsider expectations'

Patrick Holden, chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust, has called for a ‘coalition of stakeholders' to reward farmers for ‘positive climate, nature and social outcomes' as part of a ‘Sustainable Markets Initiative'

Exmoor farmer Robin Milton said ‘trust and confidence in SFI had been wrecked' and it would take ‘some exceptionally good assurance' before many farmers would trust integrating it into their business again

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on a letter sent by the Efra Committee chair, Alistair Carmichael to the Farming Minister calling on the Government to focus on five key areas to improve fairness and resilience in the food supply chain. Later today Mr Carmichael will be presenting his food supply chain fairness bill in Parliament. And the absence of rural crime in the Government's Crime and Policing Bill has been branded 'unacceptable' by a Liberal Democrat MP

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on yesterday's emergency roundtable meeting on SFI, with the Farming Minister criticised for providing lack of clarity on the what the future redesign of SFI will look like, and for showing a lack of empathy for those farmers who missed out on SFI. She also reports on farmers defending Scottish Minister Mairi Gougeon and criticising the level abuse she received online, as she announced she is stepping down from her post after more that half of her life in politics. And don't forget to sign up to our free webinar on Inheritance Tax ( March 27), where an expert panel will be unpicking any updates from the Spring Statement the day before

James Turner, steering group member of Clee View Farmers, conveys the group's reaction to the Government's closure of SFI 24

An emergency roundtable on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) has been held this afternoon (March 17) between Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner and farming organisations