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Farmers Scramble for £253m Scheme Spent in a Matter of Hours
The National Farmers' Union said the first-come, first-served scheme left thousands unable to secure payments for nature-friendly farming actions.
- On Tuesday, September 22, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs closed the £233m Sustainable Farming Incentive application window after the entire budget was allocated in under six hours.
- Defra had previously prioritized small farms in a summer window, then added £20m to the £50m announced by the Prime Minister in August to manage anticipated demand, totaling £310m for new agreements.
- The National Farmers' Union warned the budget lacked "sufficient" funds, while the Nature Friendly Farming Network called the system "unfit for purpose," criticizing the "frantic" online scramble for allocations.
- Andrew Griffith MP said the rapid closure left local farmers "completely in the lurch," while Shadow Farming Minister Robbie Moore described portal issues as an "absolute farce" affecting farmer applications.
- Thousands of farmers now face "even greater uncertainty" regarding future support, as Defra promised to provide details on 2027 funding opportunities "soon" following the scheme's sudden exhaustion.
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Oxford MailReposted by 
thisisoxfordshire.co.uk
thisisoxfordshire.co.ukFarmers scramble for £253m scheme spent in a matter of hours
A £253 million Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) budget was allocated in a matter of hours, leaving thousands of farmers missing out.
·Oxford, United Kingdom
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Bias Distribution
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