Rural Business Services Ltd

11/06/2026

🌾📢 SFI26 BUDGET ALLOCATION ANNOUNCED! 📢🌾

The government has now confirmed how much funding is available for the SFI26 scheme. 👇

💷 £60 million allocated to Window 1 (June) applicants
💷 £180 million (PLUS anything unspent from Window 1) for Window 2 (September)

It sounds like a lot… but here’s the reality 👀
The Capital Grant 2025 pot was £150 million and was fully allocated in just 4 weeks.
With around 80,000 SBIs in the UK, if everyone applied for SFI26, that’s only £3,000 each.

⏳ This is why getting applications in early is absolutely critical, for BOTH windows.

🎟️ Window 1 VIP Invites – Check Your Emails!
A small number of farmers eligible for Window 1 (no current RPA environmental schemes OR under 50 ha) will receive an invite from 18th June.
📩 These emails go to the farm business email, NOT your agent, so please keep an eye out and let us know if you receive one!

📅 Good news for those with existing agreements
Farmers with:
• CS Mid Tier ending 31 Dec 2026
• HLS / ES agreements ending soon
• SFI23 agreements ending soon

…may be able to apply for SFI26 BEFORE their current agreement ends.
The RPA say this process should be ready by the time Window 2 opens in September 🤞

🤔 The big dilemma…
If you’re eligible for Window 1, BUT you also have an agreement ending soon…
👉 Do you apply in June?
👉 Or wait for Window 2 so you can include the options from your expiring agreement?

Remember: you can only have ONE SFI26 agreement, and we don’t yet know what 2027 will bring.
The RPA have said they expect to confirm whether forward‑dated applications will be allowed before Window 1 opens. Let’s hope so! 🙏

💼 The RBS Team are working flat out to get all client applications submitted before the funding runs out.
Alongside SFI26, we’re also preparing a huge number of Capital Grant applications ready for mid‑July.

📨 Please help us to help you, respond quickly to any emails or queries we send.
Thank you for your support! 🌿

09/06/2026

🚨 DON’T RISK HAVING YOUR CAPITAL GRANT 2026 APPLICATION REJECTED 🚨

Missing supporting evidence is one of the biggest reasons applications were delayed or rejected last year, and the RPA has warned they will be even stricter this time.

For 2026, you MUST submit all required supporting evidence within 10 days of submitting your online application. Many applicants in 2025 missed this and lost out. Don’t let that be you.🧑‍💻

We’ve gone through the full guidance and pulled together the key evidence you should start gathering now, otherwise you could miss the application window while waiting for permissions or documents.🪟

✅ What you need to check and prepare NOW
• Unclaimed capital items?
Complete or withdraw them so the land parcel is released for your new application.🚜

• Check your RPA maps
Make sure everything is up to date on the RPA portal.🗺️

• Applications over £50k
You’ll need a letter from a chartered or certified accountant confirming your SBI has sufficient funds (profits, reserves or loans) to complete the works.💷

• Items requiring CSF support (e.g. concreting, roofing, rainwater harvesting)
You must already have written CSF approval. If not, it’s unlikely you’ll get it in time for 2026 — but start now for 2027.☔️

• Tenants
Your tenancy must have at least 5 years remaining. If not, you’ll need landlord approval and a completed Land Ownership & Control form.📋

• Archaeology on the parcel?
Contact your county archaeologist now, permission may be required and must be submitted with your application.

• Applying on SSSI land?
Natural England consent is required. Request this immediately.

• Scheduled Monument?
You must have consent from Historic England before applying.🗿

• Items needing drainage or council consents
Some options (e.g. RP6 piped culverts) require approval from Internal Drainage Boards, the EA or local councils.

• Maps must meet the new 2026 standards
This year’s mapping requirements are far more detailed, ensure your maps are labelled, scaled and annotated exactly as specified.

📌 Start gathering your evidence now, the application window is short, and delays could cost you the opportunity to apply.

If you’d like help preparing your Capital Grant 2026 application, feel free to get in touch.📞📲

03/06/2026

🌿✨ SFI26 UPDATE – ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR WINDOW 1? 🌿

📢 Important new details released by the RPA yesterday

The RPA has now published the near‑final management prescriptions for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) including several changes that will affect some draft applications already in progress.

🗓️ Scheme opens 30 June 2026
(Some applicants may be invited to apply early from 18 June)

If we’ve already been working with you on your draft SFI26 application, we’ll be in touch if any of these updates affect your proposed actions.

🌾 Key changes we’ve identified so far:
• AHW2 – Supplementary winter feeding must now be paired with CAHL2 winter bird food
• AHW7 – Enhanced over‑wintered stubble now capped at 25% of the farmed area
• CIPM4 – No insecticides can no longer be used on maize
• AHW9 – Unharvested cereal headlands limited to 24m maximum width
• PRF1 – Variable Rate Nutrients now allows a one‑off flat‑rate ‘wake‑up’ nitrogen application
• SPM3 – Native breeds on grazed habitats can now be stacked with GRH12
• WBD4 – Arable reversion to grassland reduced from 5 years to 3 years
• Buffer strip actions (CAHL4, CIGL3, BFS6, BFS1) can now be used next to IDB‑managed watercourses
• UPL1–3, UPL8 & UPL10 – increased payment rates for moorland grazing & shepherding

These changes apply only to SFI26, not to any existing SFI agreements.

🌱 Who qualifies for Window 1 (June 2026)?
✔️ Small farms – up to 50 ha linked to your SBI on 1 Jan 2026
✔️ Any farm with no existing ELM revenue agreement (SFI, Mid Tier, Higher Tier, woodland)
✔️ Must have at least 3 ha linked to the SBI at the point of application
✔️ SBI must have existed with land linked on 1 Jan 2026

💡 Standalone Capital Grants do NOT count as an existing agreement.

⏳ Window 1 may close early if demand is high
If you think you qualify — and you’d like Rural Business Services Ltd to prepare your application — you must contact us within the next 7 days.
We are already working on applications so they’re ready to submit the moment the portal opens.

🍂 Window 2 (September 2026)
For everyone who:
• Doesn’t qualify for Window 1
• Or qualifies but chooses not to apply in June

Those with live SFI or CS agreements running past the opening of Window 2 will need to wait until their land becomes “free” before applying.

We are pressing the RPA for clarity on timings for clients with agreements ending late 2026 — updates will follow here and via mailshot.

💷 Payment cap reminder
Each SBI can have one SFI26 agreement, capped at £100,000 per year.
SFI23 and SFI Expanded payments do not count towards this cap.

📞 If you think you may be eligible, or you’re unsure, please get in touch as soon as possible.
We’re here to help you make the most of the opportunities available under SFI26.

03/06/2026

🐔 FUNDED POULTRY BIOSECURITY VET VISITS – NOW AVAILABLE! 🧪💷

Poultry keepers can now access funded biosecurity vet visits through the Animal Health & Welfare Pathway, offering tailored advice to help protect flocks from avian influenza and other disease risks.

With bird flu still a major threat across England, these reviews provide practical, site‑specific recommendations to strengthen your biosecurity and safeguard your birds.

✨ What’s available?
Eligible keepers can claim £430 per review towards the cost of a veterinary visit.
You choose your vet, arrange the visit, pay them directly, and then claim the funding back.

During the visit, your vet will:
• Assess biosecurity risks on your site
• Identify areas for improvement
• Provide tailored, practical recommendations
• Supply a written report for future reference

📌 Who’s eligible?
You must:
• Be responsible for day‑to‑day bird care
• Have an SBI
• Have a registered CPH in England

And meet one of the following minimum flock sizes per CPH:
• 1,000 laying hens
• 1,000 meat chickens
• 1,000 breeder chickens
• 500 ducks
• 500 geese
• 500 turkeys

⏳ Important dates
All visits must be completed by 31 December 2028.
Claims must be submitted by 31 March 2029.

🎥 Free webinar
DEFRA is hosting a webinar on 18 June at 11am to explain the scheme and answer questions.
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-funded-poultry-biosecurity-reviews-tickets-1989661532203?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you’d like help checking eligibility or submitting an application, feel free to get in touch — we’re happy to support you. 🌱

Join our online session to learn about the new funded Poultry Biosecurity Review and how to apply.

29/05/2026

✨We are delighted to announce an exciting collaboration with Davina Fillingham, who is joining Rural Business Services Ltd as a Rural Consultant 🌿

Many of you will already know, and may have worked with Davina over the years. We trust you will agree that this collaboration is a great fit with the way we work, and an exciting addition to the team 🤝

As our customer base continues to grow and our reputation spreads further, it is important that we continue to deliver the same high‑quality service and responsive support that our clients value. Davina’s knowledge and experience will strengthen our team and help ensure we maintain the high standards and response times our customers expect 🚜📈

We are very much looking forward to working together — please join us in giving Davina a very warm welcome! 🎉👏

29/05/2026

🌿 PLANNING HEDGE PLANTING, FENCING, GUTTERING OR OTHER CAPITAL WORKS IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS? 🌿

The Capital Grant 2026 scheme is opening soon, and if you’re hoping to secure funding, now is the time to get prepared. ⏳

The RPA has released the full guidance and payment rates, and the scheme will again run on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Last year it closed after just 5 weeks, and funding was allocated quickly. ⚠️

If you’re planning any capital works in the next three years, it’s worth checking what you could apply for. You can explore all eligible items here:
🔗 Capital Grant Finder: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/capital-grant-finder

✅ Key reminders to give your application the best chance:
• ✔️ Complete or withdraw any unclaimed items in existing agreements
• 🗺️ Check your RPA registration and ensure your maps are up to date
• 📄 Applications over £50k require an accountant’s letter confirming financial capacity
• 💧 Items needing CSF support must already have written approval
• 🏡 Tenants must have at least 5 years left on their tenancy (or landlord approval)
• 🏺 Archaeology or SSSI permissions should be requested now

We are already working on a large number of applications for clients. If you’d like us to prepare yours, please get in touch as soon as possible so we can begin gathering the required information. 📞📧

22/05/2026

Do you have action SOH3 (multi-species summer-sown cover crop) as part of your SFI agreement? 🌱

If so, you need to know this:
The RPA has said it will be carrying out more remote monitoring checks 🛰️📡on SOH3 this year.

In plain English, this means they will be using satellite images 📡, photos 📸and other technology to check whether the action has been carried out correctly ✅— without necessarily visiting the farm.

Because of this, it is important to make sure you are following the SOH3 rules carefully and keeping good records 🗞️📅📃

In particular:
• make sure the cover crop has been established correctly 🌱
• check you are meeting all the timing and management requirements⌛️⏱️
• keep evidence and records in case something goes wrong 🗓️

The important bit:
If weather ☔️⚡️💨crop conditions or other issues mean you cannot complete the SOH3 action as planned, you must tell the RPA in writing as soon as possible. 💻

Do not just leave it and hope for the best. 🤞🏻

The RPA has specifically highlighted the “evidence to keep” section within the SOH3 guidance, so it is worth making sure your records are up to date.

If you are unsure whether your SOH3 action is compliant, or need help reporting a problem to the RPA, please get in touch and we can help ☎️

22/05/2026

🌿 Alice’s Field Trip to Slapton Ley! 🌿
As many of you know, Alice is currently completing her Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship, which involves working full time with RBS Ltd while studying with Harper Adams University. As part of her course, she attends four block weeks per year, combining hands on fieldwork with academic learning.
Last week, she headed off to Slapton Ley in Devon for a residential fieldtrip week, a brilliant opportunity to build real field experience across a range of ecological disciplines. Here’s a look at what her week involved:

📌 Day 1 – Arrival & Woodland Ecology
Evening woodland ecology lecture, setting pitfall traps, plus a late night bat survey.

📌 Day 2 – Woodland Invertebrates & Flora
Collection of pitfall traps we set the night before, examining species richness, abundance, and interspecific competition.

📌 Day 3 – Aquatic Ecology - kick sampling in gravel and reed habitats, and sampling from the Ley by canoe. Identification of the species found; any not identified in the field were taken to the lab to identify.

📌 Day 4 – Beavers & Natural Flood Management
A visit to the River Otter Beaver Project, learning about habitat impacts, ecology work, and landowner funding opportunities.

📌 Day 5 – Shingle Ridge Succession
A coastal ecology day looking at succession on the shingle ridge, including a quadrat survey of vegetation cover along the coast to understand how plant communities change across the habitat.

📌 Day 6 & 7 – Group Project:
Kick Sampling - two days were spent collecting data, analysing results, and preparing presentations for the group project, which focused on kick sampling, freshwater invertebrate ecology and vegetation cover along the stream.

15/05/2026

Whoop! Whoop! 🥳🥳The RBS Consultancy Team are celebrating meeting another deadline ⏳having now completed and submitted all of their client’s Countryside Stewardship Annual Revenue Claims 🗞️ for 2026 by the deadline of midnight on 15th May 2026. We have been working extremely hard 😴🫩since mid-March to submit an impressive 102 claims totalling an incredible £1,000,537.00! That is over a million pounds 💷secured for our farming clients 👨‍🌾to manage farmland in ways that protect wildlife 🪺🐦‍⬛, improve soil 🪏and water quality 💦, reduce air pollution 💨and enhance the natural environment 🏞️ for future generations.

12/05/2026

🌱 Grassland W**d Management – What’s at the Root of the Problem? 🌱

Catchment Sensitive Farming invite you to join them for a FREE practical and informative technical workshop exploring grassland w**d burdens, mitigation strategies, and planning effective control measures.

📍 Wednesday 20th May
The Fox & Hounds Inn, Ainthorpe, Whitby, YO21 2LD

📍 Thursday 21st May
Kirbymoorside Golf Club, Manor Vale Lane, Kirkbymoorside, York, YO62 6EG

⏰ Both events run from 10.00am – 12.30pm

☕ Refreshments and a FREE lunch will be provided

🔍 What’s involved?
• Understanding the source of grassland w**d burdens
• Soil condition, nutrient status & remediation
• W**d management strategies and IPM planning
• Creating healthy conditions for grass growth
• Good chemical stewardship and protecting water quality
• Practical guidance on sprayer maintenance, application & disposal
• Local water quality updates from Yorkshire Water

🎤 Speakers include:
• Jonathan Holmes – ‘Pasture Professor’ of Lordington Park Agronomy
• Phil Jarvis – Voluntary Initiative ‘Champion Farmer’
• Yorkshire Water

A valuable opportunity to hear expert insight, discuss practical solutions, and learn more about protecting both productivity and the environment.

To book onto the Ainthorpe event, 20th May please use the following link;
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grassland-w**d-management-a-farmer-event-with-humber-csf-tickets-1989089825212?aff=oddtdtcreator

To book onto the Kirbymoorside event, 21st May please use the following link;
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grassland-w**d-management-a-farmer-event-with-humber-csf-tickets-1989091134127?aff=oddtdtcreator