Defra has confirmed that Window 1 of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) has now closed, following strong interest from farmers and land managers.
The first application window remained open for two months and was designed to prioritise smaller farm businesses and those without an existing Environmental Land Management (ELM) revenue agreement.
Any remaining budget from Window 1 will now be made available through Window 2, which is expected to open on 22nd September 2026 to all eligible farmers and land managers.