Sustainable Farming Incentive - Statement

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 7:57 pm on 18 March 2025.

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Photo of Baroness Hayman of Ullock Baroness Hayman of Ullock The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 7:57, 18 March 2025

I completely understand that the closure so quickly and unexpectedly has caused difficulties and concern—I just want to say that. However, it is important that, looking to the 25-year farming road map that we are developing, part of the reasoning behind that is to try to give that kind of security. It is also important that, when we look at opening the SFI scheme next time, all this is taken into consideration, so that our reforms produce a more stable scheme. He is absolutely right that farmers need certainty and security, because farming is looking at long-term investments and farmers need to be able to know how to make those investments. So I take his point.