A new open letter to the Minister for Food Security & Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, has called on the government to reverse its cap on Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications – and explore a Basic Income for all agricultural workers.
Basic Income for Farmers (BI4Farmers), a campaign advocating for economic stability in the farming sector, has written to the Minister following the government’s abrupt decision to cap and pause new SFI applications. The letter, co-signed by farmers from around England, as well as Green Party and Labour MPs, covered in today’s Times, highlights the financial uncertainty now facing farmers, farmworkers, and food producers in the country — many of whom had already incorporated expected SFI payments into their financial planning.
The decision to limit SFI applications has already been met with widespread concern from farming organisations such as Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) and the Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA). BI4Farmers and co-signatories argue that this move undermines confidence in post-Brexit subsidy schemes, particularly for small-scale and agroecological farmers who were finally gaining access to crucial financial support.
The letter calls for:
- An immediate expansion of the SFI budget to allow more farmers to access support.
- A reopening of applications to prevent further financial insecurity in the sector.
- Exploration of a Basic Income for all agricultural workers, ensuring long-term stability for those who produce the nation’s food.
Joanna Poulton, Campaign Lead at BI4Farmers, said: “Farmers were promised that post-Brexit subsidy schemes would provide financial security. Instead, we’ve seen a pattern of uncertainty and exclusion. The government must act now to restore trust and ensure a just and sustainable future for UK farming through a Basic Income scheme.”
BI4Farmers has requested a meeting with the Minister for Food Security & Rural Affairs to discuss solutions, including the viability of a Basic Income for Farmers, as part of a fairer and more sustainable agricultural support system.
