Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps has she taken to determine a timescale for farmers to apply for SFI26 whose environmental agreements expire after February 2027.

Eligible farmers who did not obtain an SFI26 agreement will have another opportunity to apply in 2027. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier remains available through its expression-of-interest process for appropriate land and activities. Defra is working to bring forward the 2027 SFI offer as early as possible and details will be published in due course.