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Sustainable Farming Incentive: guidance for applicants and agreement holders

What farmers need to know to get paid under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), how to apply for funding and how to manage your agreement.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Rural Payments Agency
Published
30 March 2022
Last updated
30 June 2025 — See all updates

Information for Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) pilot participants is published on the Defra farming blog.

Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme: expanded offer for 2024

The Sustainable Farming Incentive Expanded Offer for 2024 (SFI 2024) has only re-opened for applications from certain eligible applicants, who we have written to. For all other farmers, SFI remains closed for applications.

Please read the Written Ministerial Statement on the UK Parliament website for more information.

SFI 2023: guidance for agreement holders

SFI 2023 closed for new applications at midnight on Monday 10 June.

Information for SFI 2023 agreement holders includes:

  • SFI 2023 Handbook which contains the scheme rules, SFI actions in the SFI 2023 offer, and SFI agreement terms and conditions

  • voluntary guidance on how to do the actions in your SFI 2023 agreement

Contact the Rural Payments Agency about SFI

How to contact the RPA if you have a query about the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Updates to this page

Published 30 March 2022
Last updated 30 June 2025 show all updates

  1. Correction: The Sustainable Farming Incentive Expanded Offer for 2024 (SFI 2024) will re-open for applications from certain eligible applicants from **12 noon on 7 July 2025**. We have written to these eligible applicants. For all other farmers, SFI will **remain closed** for applications. We have published updated SFI 2024 scheme information and agreement terms and conditions for the re-opened offer.

  2. The Sustainable Farming Incentive Expanded Offer for 2024 (SFI 2024) has re-opened for applications from certain eligible applicants, who we have written to. For all other farmers, SFI remains closed for applications.

  3. Added a link to the ministerial statement on the decision about SFI applications that were started but not submitted before the scheme closed.

  4. Added a page for SFI expanded offer agreement holders.

  5. Removed link to SFI annual health and welfare review guidance. This service has been replaced by a new improved offer and has its own collection on GOV.UK - Funding to improve animal health and welfare: guidance for farmers and vets.

  6. Update to SFI23: SFI23 will close to new applications from midnight on 10 June. Any applications already started can be submitted within 60 days of starting it.

  7. Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme information is published to find out what's included in the expanded offer for 2024.

  8. Reminder to submit SFI23 applications by 31 December

  9. Removed reference to expression of interest (EOI).

  10. SFI Register your interest form link added

  11. SFI main page updated to include information about RPA contacting eligible farmers and land managers to express an interest in applying for SFI early.

  12. Published getting paid for your SFI agreement

  13. Detailed guides for SFI 2023 - the separate sections the SFI 2023 handbook - added to the collection page.

  14. Page and content updated for SFI 2023.

  15. Added call to action box for SFI pilot participants

  16. Added link on how to apply online for an SFI standards agreement.

  17. Added terms and conditions, how to guidance and contact information.

  18. First published.

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