THE sudden announcement of the closure of applications to a farming incentive scheme has been branded “cowardly” by a Somerset MP.

On Tuesday (March 11), the government announced it was no longer accepting applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which said the “sustainable farming budget” had been “successfully allocated”.

All current and pending applications would be honoured, it said.

However, MP Anna Sabine (Lib Dem, Frome & East Somerset) said the announcement had shocked farmers.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

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The Government said SFI has more than 37,000 multi-year live agreements, “delivering sustainable food production and nature’s recovery for today and the years ahead” while “putting money back into farmers pockets”.

It said it inherited an uncapped scheme, despite a finite farming budget, with “the maximum limit” now reached and promised a “reset”, with an “improved” SFI coming after the Spending Review.

But Ms Sabine said the decision was another blow to the farming community.

“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,” she added.

“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.”

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Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner, said: ”This Government is proud to have set the biggest budget for sustainable food produce in history, to boost growth in rural communities and all across the UK, under our Plan for Change.

“More farmers are now in schemes and more money is being spent through them than ever before. That is true today and will remain true tomorrow.

“We have now successfully allocated the SFI24 budget as promised.”