PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Sustainable Farming Incentive (29 October 2024)

The Sustainable Farming Incentive has been expanded to now include Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier actions, with around a further 80 new actions now available for customers to select. The scheme is in the late stages of the controlled rollout, something always normally undertaken when new schemes are implemented to make sure that everything is working as expected for everyone. This allows the Rural Payments Agency to monitor all aspects closely, covering not only the technical elements of the application process but also including customer guidance and support. carrying out additional checks on all applications before issuing agreements. These checks are being scaled back as we move through this initial controlled period, and the number of agreements being offered has increased since the start of October.