SFI26: details, definitions and what to expect
- Ellie
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
Defra have shared their plans for the new SFI scheme. The new scheme aims to be simpler, with fewer actions and less complex. The changes focused on removing actions with low uptake and those that incentivised less food production as well as caps to help more farms benefit from the scheme. Below is a summary of the main points from the post:
The new offer includes 71 actions, down from 102 in the SFI24 offer.
Focused on removing actions with low uptake or those that delivered less for food production, the environment, or our wider environmental targets.
Annual agreement cap of £100,000.
The full scheme guidance and the budget for the first window will be published before it opens.
Farms must have 3 ha of agricultural land to be eligible.
Window 1 is open to both small farms (3-50 ha of agricultural land) and farms without an existing land management (ELM) revenue agreement.
Window 1 will open in June 2026 and will remain open for around 2 months – although it may close sooner if demand is high and the window 1 budget is fully allocated.
Window 2 will open in September 2026 for all farms.
Each farm business can have only one SFI26 agreement.
Agreement holders will not be able to increase the area or value of rotational actions beyond what they included in Year 1.
They will be able to increase or reduce the area from year to year, if they do not go above the Year 1 level.
Enhanced overwinter stubble; 25% area limit cap. This is to prevent too much land being taken out of production. This cap also covers 10 other actions.
Actions with a 5-year duration will become 3-year actions in SFI26.
Read about the full scheme below:
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