In addition to the package of support offered through the Farming Recovery Fund, Defra have introduced temporary adjustments and easements within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the SFI Pilot, Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Environmental Stewardship (ES) to support farmers and land managers dealing with the impacts of severe weather in England.
Essentially, if bad weather has caused disruptions to your farming activities or affected your ability to meet the mandatory requirements set out in your agreements, the adjustments allow more time to establish or defer some activity to later in the year.
These temporary adjustments are for live agreements and take effect from 1st October 2023 and will be reviewed on 31st July 2024. The adjustments will automatically apply – you don’t need to submit a request.
Details of the adjustments and easements for each CS, ES, SFI and SFI pilot actions can be viewed here.
Evidence
It is a good idea to keep any evidence in case the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) need to see it. Evidence can include:
- Farm records showing field operations at a land parcel level.
- Associated invoices and photographs of how you attempted the options and actions and have been affected by the weather conditions.
When you might need to contact the RPA
You will need to request an adjustment to your agreement, if:
- You do not believe you can meet the aims of the option or action within the temporary adjustments and extended timeframes.
- The option or action affected is not listed.
For CS and ES agreements you can do this through the Minor and Temporary Adjustment process. For SFI let the RPA know about a change of circumstance using the SFI query form.
Read more at: Wet weather: temporary support for farmers in 2024 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For further help and advice, contact our Stewardship & Grants team on 01981 590514.
