'Another blow', says farmer after funding scheme axe

"I couldn't believe it; it changed overnight, and it's just another blow from the government," says a farmer about the closure of a funding scheme.

Leah Middleton, who farms near Ludlow, is one of many farmers in the Midlands who have criticised the government after the sudden closure of a payment scheme that encouraged the adoption of sustainable farming methods.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), introduced after Brexit, offered farmers subsidies for environmentally friendly projects. However, earlier this month, ministers said the scheme was "fully subscribed".

Although the government said it planned to reopen "a new and improved SFI scheme", farmers remained concerned at the loss of funds.

Pete Middleton, who farms alongside his partner, said the removal of the incentive meant their farm would lose £20,000 every year for the next three years.

"I don't know what the future holds; we've got uncertain times and mental health is at an all-time low," Ms Middleton added.

"If I'm honest I don't see a future."

A government spokesperson said: "We inherited farming schemes which were underspent, with farms missing out on millions of pounds.

"The government proudly secured the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country's history.

"We now have a record number of farmers in schemes and more money being paid to farms than ever before; as a result, we have now hit the maximum limit of the scheme and have stopped accepting new applications."

SFI was expected to help about half of the farmers in the Midlands to transition towards more environmentally friendly methods of farming, including reducing the use of pesticides or decreasing the number of animals grazing on hills.

Farmer Rebecca Morgan agreed that the scheme had been removed with "no prior warning or consultation" and said farmers had been left with "great uncertainty".

"Given there is such fiscal pressure at the moment, we can't see that that's going to be equivalent to what we've had already," she said.

More details about the "improved" scheme will be revealed in the summer, a government spokesperson added.

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