Anna Sabine MP slams Government announcement on Sustainable Farming Incentive

Anna Sabine MP slams Government announcement on Sustainable Farming Incentive

Anna Sabine MP for Frome and East Somerset has slammed the Government’s announcement to abruptly end applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive. 

The announcement made yesterday evening was given with just 30 minutes notice to the NFU before closing the window during which farmers could access the fund. It had previously been promised that the NFU and farmers would be told six months in advance of any closure of the fund and the sudden end shows a “callous disrespect” to the community says Anna.

“The sudden closure of the SFI fund is nothing short of a cowardly move by the Government showing a complete disregard to farmers and their welfare. The lack of notice period before the closure shows a callous disrespect for a community who have faced blow after blow from the Labour Government and are struggling to survive.”

The news follows other attacks on farmers which make it harder and harder for them to sustain a business up against increasing costs and will hit smallhold farms who previously invested in new technologies to become more environmentally sustainable under the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

“The Government continues to compound damage done and a disregard shown to farmers and rural communities from previous Conservative administrations and this decision without proper consultation with the NFU, again shows a short-sighted attitude from Labour that makes it impossible for farmers to survive in the current climate.

In a time of international unrest, it is more important than ever to ensure we are self-sustaining, and farmers need to be respected for what they do and can offer in the future.”