Subsidies paused with out warning in ‘shattering blow’ to UK farmers | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Farming subsidies have been halted with out warning within the Labour Government’s newest “shattering blow” to farmers and rural communities. Post-Brexit funds to farmers have been paused on Tuesday (March 11), when the Government introduced plans to revise the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) after June’s spending assessment.

News of the pause comes amid protests to Labour’s modifications to agricultural inheritance tax guidelines. National Farmers’ Union President Tom Bradshaw stated: “This is another shattering blow to English farms, delivered yet again with no warning, no understanding of the industry and a complete lack of compassion or care.

“We have had main considerations for years about whether or not there was the potential inside Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to ship the agricultural transition post-Brexit.

“We have warned time and time again that large parts of the SFI were poorly designed and the department was consistently failing to deliver it.”

He added: “Today’s terrible news was delivered with only 30 minutes warning to us before ministers briefed the press, leaving us unable to inform our members.

“There has been no session, no communication; there was a complete lack of the ‘partnership and co-design’ Defra loves to speak about. It is one other instance of the rising disregard for agriculture inside the division.”

The Government’s move leaves thousands of farmers unsure as to how they can plug the subsidies, which are being phased out.

Under the SFI scheme, farmers are paid for actions aimed at boosting nature, including by improving the condition of their soil as well as planting hedgerows, trees and wildflowers.

Defra said over 50,000 farms are benefitting from farming schemes, with more money spent on SFI than ever before.

The Government said it won’t be accepting new SFI applications from today, but money for existing agreements will be paid and remaining eligible bids for funding will proceed.

Defra insisted the Labour Government inherited underspent farming schemes and pointed to ministers “proudly” securing £5billion for the sector’s budget over two years.

The department said the largest scheme, SFI24, has more than 37,000 agreements, but maintained the Government inherited an uncapped scheme which has now reached its end.

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner said: “This Government is proud to have set the largest price range for sustainable meals produce in historical past, to spice up progress in rural communities and all throughout the UK, beneath our Plan for Change.

“More farmers are now in schemes and more money is being spent through them than ever before. That is true today and will remain true tomorrow. We have now successfully allocated the SFI24 budget as promised.”

However, Mr Bradshaw stated the door has been slammed shut for hundreds of farmers after Chancellor Rachel Reeves promised they might have the ability to entry new schemes which paid them to spice up the surroundings as she hastened the top of earlier schemes.

He added: “They say the money is spent, but because Defra refuses to be transparent we don’t know where it’s been spent, or whether it’s all been spent within this year.

“The terrible dilemma now confronted by many farmers is whether or not to show their backs on environmental work and simply farm as onerous as they’ll to outlive. This is a loss to each farming and the surroundings and can’t be what was supposed.”

Country Land and Business Association President Victoria Vyvyan said: “SFI was probably the most bold, ahead pondering and environmentally pleasant agricultural coverage seen anyplace on the planet – it promised a fairer future for farmers and a greener future for the world.

“Labour promised to support it, but at the first available opportunity they have instead scrapped it. Of all the betrayals so far, this is the most cruel. It actively harms nature. It actively harms the environment. And, with war once again raging in Europe, to actively harm our food production is reckless beyond belief.”