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.
Information for SFI pilot participants is published on the Defra farming blog.
Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme: expanded offer for 2024
The Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme: expanded offer is closed for new applications.
Applicants who started an SFI application within 2 months of 11 March 2025 but did not submit it by that date will be given 6 weeks to complete an application. This means if you started your application on or after 12 January 2025, you will be able to apply. We will contact you to confirm if you are eligible and, if so, what the next steps will be. Read the ministerial statement for more information.
SFI 2023: guidance for agreement holders
SFI23 closed for new applications at midnight on Monday 10 June.
Information for SFI 2023 agreement holders includes:
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SFI 2023 Handbook which contains the scheme rules, SFI actions in the SFI 2023 offer, and SFI agreement terms and conditions
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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
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Added a link to the ministerial statement on the decision about SFI applications that were started but not submitted before the scheme closed.
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Added a page for SFI expanded offer agreement holders.
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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 This service has been replaced by a new improved offer and has its own collection on GOV.UK - Funding to improve animal health and welfare: guidance for farmers and vets.
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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.
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Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme information is published to find out what's included in the expanded offer for 2024.
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Reminder to submit SFI23 applications by 31 December
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Removed reference to expression of interest (EOI).
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SFI Register your interest form link added
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SFI main page updated to include information about RPA contacting eligible farmers and land managers to express an interest in applying for SFI early.
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Published getting paid for your SFI agreement
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Detailed guides for SFI 2023 - the separate sections the SFI 2023 handbook - added to the collection page.
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Page and content updated for SFI 2023.
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Added call to action box for SFI pilot participants
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Added link on how to apply online for an SFI standards agreement.
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Added terms and conditions, how to guidance and contact information.
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First published.