The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has cautioned that the sudden closure of England's Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) could lead farmers to prioritize intensive food production over environmental efforts. The SFI, part of post-Brexit agricultural policy, had paid farmers to enhance environmental management. While the government noted the success of the SFI with numerous agreements in place, the lack of new applications raises concerns for the future of sustainable practices. A new SFI is promised later but with limited budget insight, raising questions about the viability of environmental commitments in agriculture.
Tom Bradshaw, NFU president, stated that the sudden closure would force farmers to decide "whether to turn their backs on environmental work and just farm as hard as they can to survive."
The government defended its decision, highlighting that over 50,000 farm businesses are benefiting from wider environmental land management schemes, which underscores a commitment to sustainability.
#sustainable-farming-incentive #environmental-policy #agriculture #national-farmers-union #post-brexit-agricultural-scheme
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