Grants for converting and maintaining organic land - England

Organic funding in England

Defra has suspended new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications for 2025, so organic conversion and maintenance funding is currently unavailable.

You can read the Soil Association's response to this announcement in our latest blog.

Stay informed of upcoming funding opportunities by signing up to the Soil Association's farming newsletter.

The following information is about previous funding that was previously available 

In England, organic farmers can access government funding for organic conversion and maintenance via the SFI. It is also possible to add SFI payments onto existing Countryside Stewardship funding.

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme

The SFI scheme is a component of the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs). Organic farmers can receive payments for specific actions that enhance soil health, water quality, and biodiversity. Payments are available for organic conversion and maintenance.

The scheme is flexible, allowing farmers to choose actions that align with their organic practices. Organic conversion is supported through SFI and anyone with land who can deliver the SFI actions is eligible.

There is no minimum land area or a requirement for you to have been eligible for Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). This means small growers with less than 5 hectares and new entrants can now apply for SFI.

Read more about details of payment rates are shown below.

The financial benefits of organic farming

• Hear from farmers on organic conversion

• Business Support for Farmers

Rates on offer for organic conversion and maintenance

Details of organic conversion through the SFI sheme:

SFI Action name	Payment rate - per hectare/ per year
OFC1: Organic conversion – Improved permanent pasture	£187
OFC2: Organic conversion – Unimproved permanent pasture	£96
OFC3: Organic conversion – Rotational land	£298
OFC4: Organic conversion – horticultural land	£874
OFC5: Top fruit	£1920

 

The following SFI payments are also available for organic maintenance:

SFI Action name	Payment rate - per hectare/ per year
OFM1: Organic land management – improved permanent grassland	£20
OFM2: Organic land management – Unimproved permanent pasture	£41
OFM3: Organic land management –   Enclosed rough grazing	£97
OFM4: Organic land management – Rotational land	£132
OFM5: Organic land management – horticultural land	£707
OFM6: Organic land management – Top fruit	£1920

 

There are also three specific organic only SFI options:

SFI Action name	Payment rate
OFA1: Overwinter stubble (organic land)	£264 per hectare
OFA3: Supplementary winter bird food (organic land)	£935 per tonne
OFA6: Undersown cereal crop (organic land)	£380 per hectare
CIPM4: No use of insecticide on arable and horticultural crops	£45 per hectare

 

For more information on the SFI actions and scheme requirements, visit Defra's tool to find funding for land or farms.

• Comparing organic and non-organic income

• Find out more about organic certification

Get in Touch

Our expert farming certification team can talk you through how organic conversion and certification could work on your farm.