Farmers to receive post-Brexit subsidies by January, says minister Mark Spencer

Farmer Rachel Fyfe makes her point to the minister, Mark Spencer

Farmers in England will receive a long-awaited post-Brexit subsidy payment by January, a meeting heard.

Farming minister Mark Spencer gave the update to a meeting in Desborough, Northamptonshire, after an invitation from Kettering MP Philip Hollobone.

Mr Spencer heard concerns from local farmers that the delayed rollout of a new payment system and a labour shortage was causing hardship for them.

"We'll make sure farmers are paid," said Mr Spencer.

The government's Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme is designed to replace subsidy payments made by the European Union (EU), which farmers are no longer entitled to after Brexit.

It will offer grants for projects to protect the environment, such as planting hedgerows or wild bird seed.

Farmers had been told the long-awaited scheme would be ready last month, but it has since been delayed until mid-September.

Mr Spencer told a group of farmers at the meeting at West Lodge Farm Park their payments would be approved as soon as the scheme got under way, but they "might not get the actual cash in the bank until December [or] January".

He said: "We'll make sure farmers are paid and they've got the confidence to drill those crops like we want them to."

Farmer Sarah Bell says farmers are desperate for payments under the new system

Sarah Bell, who farms near Corby, said: "We're seven years into waiting for this promised system.

"We need the Sustainable Farming Incentive to really get some legs under it because the farmers are really desperate to do what they want to do for the environment."

Rachel Fyfe, who farms in Clipston, said: "Our costs have gone through the roof [following] Brexit and Ukraine.

"Our fertilizer went from £260 per tonne to a peak of over £900."

Friday's meeting also discussed the shortage of agricultural workers - the minister said that the government was making more seasonal visas available to bring labour in from abroad.