Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026

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Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026

Window 1 will open in June 2026 and will remain open for around 2 months – although it may close sooner if the budget is fully allocated. It will be open to both small farms and farms without an existing environmental land management (ELM) revenue agreement.

Window 2 will open in September and will remain open until the budget is allocated.

 

Limits have been applied to SFI2026 to hopefully allow more people to access the SFI and reduce the amount of land being taken out of food production.

The cap on options that take land out of production and are intended to be done on a small proportion (up to 25%) of the farm have been kept in SFI 2026 offer with the addition of Over Winter Stubble.

There are 71 options available to choose from and all options now have a three-year duration.

 

Moorland options have increased as below;

  • UPL1: Moderate livestock grazing on moorland – £35/ha (increased from £20/ha)
  • UPL2: Low livestock grazing on moorland – £89/ha (increased from £53/ha)
  • UPL3: Limited livestock grazing on moorland – £111/ha (increased from £66/ha)
  • UPL8: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 4 months) – £74/ha (increased from £43/ha)
  • UPL10: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months) – £102/ha (increased from £48/ha)

 

Rates have been reduced for the SFI26 options as below;

  • CSAM3: Herbal leys from £382/ha to £224/ha
  • CAHL2: Winter bird food from £853/ha to £648/ha
  • CNUM3: Legume fallow from £593/ha to £532/ha

These reductions will only apply to SFI26 applications and not any previous agreements.

 

There are 11 actions which you must only do on a proportion of your farm. These actions are referred to as ‘limited area’ actions and include:

  • CIPM2: Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips (IPM2 in the SFI 2023 offer)
  • CAHL1: Pollen and nectar flower mix (AHL1 in the SFI 2023 offer)
  • CAHL2: Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land (AHL2 in the SFI 2023 offer)
  • CAHL3: Grassy field corners or blocks (AHL3 in the SFI 2023 offer)
  • CIGL1: Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management (IGL1 in the SFI 2023 offer)
  • CIGL2: Winter bird food on improved grassland (IGL2 in the SFI 2023 offer)
  • WBD3: In-field grass strips
  • AHW1: Bumblebird mix
  • AHW9: Unharvested cereal headland
  • AHW11: Cultivated areas for arable plant
  • AHW7: Enhanced overwinter stubble.

 

For more information or advice please call Jess, Molly or Jenny on 01756 692900

Shepherd, Stockman and General Farm Worker

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None Go Bye Farm, Grassington Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 3LB is a diverse and progressive farm business consisting of approximately 150 hectares of improved grassland within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Our client is seeking an experienced and motivated shepherd, stockman and general farm worker to work with a herd of 100 spring calving Aberdeen Angus cows, 200 pure Swaledale ewes, 500 Swaledale’s to Blue Faced Leicester and small pedigree flocks of Blue Faced Leicester and Suffolks.

The successful candidate will be involved in a wide range of day-to-day farm duties, including:

  • The opportunity to develop the sheep enterprises, invest in genetics and push the flock forward.
  • Involvement in lambing, assisting with calving and flock management.
  • Selection and presentation of stock for sale.

The successful candidate will need:

  • A willingness to engage in all aspects of farm work / life.
  • To be able to use own initiative
  • The applicant must have high regard for health and safety measures, as well as the upmost respect for animal welfare.
  • Be a confident and reliable decision maker
  • Be able to manage their own time and be organised
  • To have a clean driving licence, experience of tractor driving preferred
  • To have their own dogs preferred

Job benefits:

  • Competitive salary based on experience.
  • Beautiful place with high quality livestock and good facilities.
  • An excellent opportunity for someone passionate about livestock farming who wants to be part of a forward-thinking farm operation.
  • Fixed working hours, requirement for overtime at busy periods

 

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter to nonegobye@gmail.com with the subject Shepherd and Stockman or contact Alistair on 07876 594028.

Closing date: 27/02/2026

Strengthening Our Architectural Services with a New Appointment

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We’re pleased to announce the expansion of our architectural services with the appointment of Kate Haughton as Architectural Assistant. This addition marks an important step in our continued growth and reflects increasing demand for integrated architectural and planning support across Skipton and the surrounding rural areas.

Operating from Craven Cattle Mart, we provide professional surveying, valuation, planning and property advice to homeowners, landowners, developers, farmers and rural businesses throughout the region. Our work is firmly rooted in the local community, with a strong focus on practical, informed advice tailored to each client.

Expanding Our Architectural Offering

Kate joins us with three years’ experience in architectural practice, bringing valuable expertise that complements our surveying and planning services. She will be supporting a wide range of projects, including:

  • Barn conversions
  • Farm workers’ dwellings
  • Agricultural buildings
  • Residential extensions and renovations
  • Home improvements and alterations

Kate has experience delivering practical, well-considered design solutions for both rural and residential properties, helping clients maximise space, functionality and value while respecting a building’s original character.

Experience with Period and Rural Properties

With a particular passion for period homes and buildings with character, Kate is keen to preserve and enhance the features that make older properties unique. She has experience working with listed buildings and properties within National Park settings, where sensitive design, attention to detail and a strong understanding of planning policy are essential.

Her approach focuses on creating designs that are visually sympathetic to their surroundings while remaining practical for modern living.

An Integrated, In-House Service

Kate’s appointment allows us to further develop our in-house architectural services, working closely alongside our chartered town planners. This joined-up approach provides a straightforward “all under one roof” service, bringing together architectural design, planning advice and surveying expertise within a single, coordinated process.

Get in Touch

For architectural advice or to discuss the planning potential of a property or site, please contact the office on 01756 692900. Ian, Kate and the wider team will be happy to help.

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026

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Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026

Last week at the Oxford Farming Conference, the Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds MP provided us with an update on the 2026 SFI offer.

Promises of streamlining the actions available to reduce complexity whilst still offering plenty of choice, with a stronger focus on actions that support sustainable food production.

  • Less choice, more food production focused options
  • First application window in June – aimed at smaller farms and those without live Agri-Environment Schemes
  • Second application window in September – open to all farmers
  • Separate budgets for each window with a promise of no surprise closure

As always, the Stewardship Team are here to help with any questions you may have, please call us on 01756 692900.

We are hiring! CAD Technician / Architectural Technologist

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CAD Technician / Architectural Technologist 

Location: Skipton, North Yorkshire
Job Type: Full-Time / Part-Time (flexible for the right candidate)
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Start Date: As soon as possible

About Us

We are a small, friendly rural surveying and planning consultancy based in Skipton, offering a range of land and property services to private clients, estates, and other businesses.  Due to continued growth, we’re looking for a CAD Technician / Architectural Technologist to join our team and ensure the delivery of high-quality plans and drawings across our projects.

The Role

You’ll work closely with clients and our surveyors and planning consultants to produce accurate and detailed CAD drawings for a variety of property and land projects including the production of plans to support planning applications. The ability to prepare and submit planning applications and submissions that would comply with the building regulations is desirable.

Key Responsibilities

  • Produce and amend 2D CAD drawings using AutoCAD.
  • Interpret survey data and hand-drawn sketches into professional digital plans.
  • Liaise with clients and colleagues to understand project requirements and deadlines.
  • Maintain an organised digital drawing archive.

About You

We’re looking for someone with:

  • Proficiency in AutoCAD (or equivalent CAD software)
  • A keen eye for detail and accuracy
  • Good communication skills and a team-player mindset
  • A commercial focus with the ability to develop and expand the services that the company presently offers
  • Previous experience in a surveying, architectural, or engineering environment is desirable, but not essential

Why Join Us?

  • Be part of a supportive and personable team
  • Varied and interesting rural projects with a mixture of office work and site visits
  • Opportunities to grow your skills in a multi-disciplinary environment
  • Enjoy the balance of rural life with professional development

How to Apply

Please send your CV and a short covering letter to info@wbwsurveyors.co.uk. Informal enquiries welcome.

The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024

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The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 puts the baseline for hedgerow management practices into law.
What do the new Hedgerow regulations mean for you…
The new regulations require:
• a 2-metre buffer strip, measured from the centre of a hedgerow, where a green cover must be established and maintained
• no cultivation or application of pesticides or fertilisers within the 2-metre buffer strip
• a hedgerow cutting and trimming ban from 1 March to 31 August (inclusive)
The cutting and trimming ban will start immediately. This is to protect nesting birds up to the end of August 2024.
The buffer strip rules will begin:
• from 1 July 2024 for land not currently being used for crop production
• from the first harvest after 1 July 2024 for land which is currently being used for crops.
You can find guidance on these rules and exemptions in the buffer strip guidance and the cutting and trimming guidance on GOV.UK

Allocation of Housing & Other Commercial Development Sites within North Yorkshire

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Deadline for submission of comments – 30 June 2024

North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has begun the process of preparing a new Local Plan for the authority.  This is the key document used to decide planning applications and it allocates land for development or protects it as open countryside.  It is therefore important how your land is allocated.  The document is expected to be Adopted in 2028 and will replace those Local Plans previously produced by North Yorkshire’s District Authorities such as Craven District Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

As part of that process NYC has begun undertaking a ‘Call for Sites’ and is inviting suggestions on land that could be developed for housing or other commercial uses over the coming years.  Putting your land forward does not guarantee that it will be allocated, but it is the best way to maximise the chances of it being allocated in the future.   If NYC is not made aware of your land, or alternatively if NYC is uncertain whether the landowner wishes to see it developed in the future, the land is very unlikely to be included in the new Local Plan.

NYC has stated that suggested sites should be submitted to them by the end of June and we can undertake this process for you.  If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Ian Swain, Gemma Kennedy, or Cathy Dakin on 01756 692900.

 

 

RDPE Scheme Updates

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Farm support is entering what is arguably one of the most complex phases experienced by the industry.  The only thing that is certain is the phasing out of the Basic Payment Scheme.  In the context of declining BPS income, please click on the link below to see our thoughts on alternative schemes available and the services we can offer.

2024 Newsletter v4

Calf Housing for Health & Welfare Grant

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To build new, upgrade or replace existing calf housing.
( Calves 7 days to 6 months old )
Grant Funding is 40% of the expected project cost.
Grant funding available is between £15,000 & £500,000

 

Project Requirements:
• Calves MUST NOT be kept individually from 7 days old.
• Building must be designed to maintain a suitable ambient environment.
• Calves must NOT share airspace with or be downwind of older cattle.
• Must have minimum available area per calf of 3m2 for calves up to 100kg, 4m2 for calves up to 150kg and 5m2 for calves above 150kg.
• Have a solid concrete floor (sloping 5% in the bedding area)
• Have straw bedding.
• Have permanent draught proof walls a minimum of 1.2m high.
• Must include one enrichment item per pair of calves.
• Include temperature and humidity sensors.

If solar panels are included within the project these can be funded at 25% of eligible costs.
You must have 11 or more cattle registered to your holding.
You must either own the land or have a tenancy of 5years or more on the project land.
The proposed building must be a permanent building, securely attached to a foundation.

The application process will require detailed information on the project including building design, quotes and letters of support from your farm VET.

If you require further information, please contact:
Karen Shuttleworth or Molly Dakin: 01756 692 900

Full details are available on the RPA website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calf-housing-for-health-and-welfare-2023#:~:text=You%20can%20apply%20for%20a,to%20open%20later%20this%20summer

Join our team – Stewardship Assistant

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Job Description:

Stewardship Assistant

The Opportunity

Our team continues to grow and another fantastic opportunity has arisen to join our small and friendly team based in an ideal location on the edge of Skipton.

The Role

The role will involve a range of general and business specific administrative duties, including but not limited to;

  • Liaising regularly with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on our clients’ behalf.
  • Management of interested parties for RPA schemes, the checking and data inputting of our client’s RPA agreements.
  • Payment checking & management for a vast number of high-value agreements.
  • Keeping our in-house database and filing system up to date.
  • Interest in soil management

The Firm

WBW Surveyors are a team of Chartered Surveyors and Town Planners serving a wide range of clients from the rural, commercial, and residential property sectors.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a friendly, hard-working quick learner who can build strong relationships with both our team and client base. The person must be organised, flexible, proficient in IT skills and comfortable prioritising their own workload.

The Package

This role is intended as a long term appointment.

Salary based on experience

Company pension scheme

Regular social functions

Interesting and varied workload

How to Apply

If you think you may be the right person for this role, please send applications with CV to Molly Dakin at molly.dakin@wbwsurveyors.co.uk by Monday 17th July. To discuss the role in further detail please call Jess Austin or Molly Dakin on 01756 692 900.