On Wednesday 14 September Defra confirmed that they are on track to start inviting those who have submitted an SFI expression of interest form to apply for an agreement from the 18th of September.
They have also announced that farmers who have a live agreement before the end of the year will receive an accelerated payment worth 25% of the value of their agreement in the first month of their agreement. This is in acknowledgement of the rising input costs and challenges farmers are experiencing with inflation. This should be a significant help with cashflow for farm businesses.
Previously, Defra had stated that once you submit your application, you would receive an agreement offer approximately a month later, with the first quarterly payment coming 3 months after you accept the agreement offer. This announcement has effectively brought payments forward by at least 12 weeks – for those who have an active agreement by the end of the year.
If you have not yet submitted your expression of interest form for the SFI, and you want to make use of this accelerated payment, it is recommended you do so as soon as possible so that you can make your application in good time to receive your agreement offer before the end of the year.
In the Blog post below DEFRA has outlined what you will need to get ready before making your SFI application, it is worth checking over to make sure you have everything in place for a smooth application.
Comments