Committee publication · Correspondence · 19 June 2025
Correspondence to the Secretary of State following his appearance before the Committee on 20 May, dated 18 June 2025
Summary
The EFRA Committee thanks Secretary of State Steve Reed for his 20 May evidence session and follows up with written questions on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme. The Committee seeks clarity on how the scheme will be reprioritised and simplified when it reopens in early 2026, and how farmers will be supported financially during the interim period given recent Spending Review allocations.
Key findings
- SFI scheme will not reopen until early 2026 and requires simplification according to the Secretary of State's evidence
- Government intends to prioritise SFI access to 'those who need it the most', but implementation details remain unclear
- Committee seeks specifics on whether the next SFI iteration will be restricted to particular farm types
- Committee asks how budget profiling will prevent farmers being left 'out of pocket' during the period before scheme reopening
Tone
ProceduralTopics
agriculture-subsidypublic-financerural-policy
Key actors
Steve Reed QBE MP, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Notable line
“… the scheme "needs simplifying" and should be "prioritised for those who need it the most".”
Key Quotes
“… the SFI. scheme would not reopen until early 2026, and that the scheme "needs simplifying" and should be "prioritised for those who need it the most".”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗