Rural Business Services Ltd

01/09/2026

🚨 CAPITAL GRANTS 2026 – NOW CLOSED!🚨

💷 The RPA has confirmed that the full £225 MILLION budget has now been allocated – just 33 days after the scheme opened!

📑 Around 17,000 applications were submitted, including 9,500 from first-time Capital Grant applicants

🌾 Most popular items included:
🐑 FG2 Sheep Netting– 11,000+ applications
🌳 BN11 New Hedges – approx. 5,000
🚪 FG12 Wooden Field Gates – 4,500+
🌿 BN5 Hedgerow Laying – approx. 2,500

📌 If you submitted an application make sure any required supporting evidence is sent within 10 days of submission

⏳ The RPA has now started assessing applications and issuing agreements, although progress is currently slow.

👀 RBS clients – we’ll keep a close eye on your applications and will be in touch as soon as we receive any offers.

🚜🌾 **Rural Business Services Ltd – Ploughing Through Your Paperwork!**

30/08/2026

🚨🌱 **SFI26 WINDOW 2 – OPENING DATE ANNOUNCED!** 🌱🚨

📅 Defra has announced that SFI26 Window 2 is "expected" to open on 22nd September 2026.

💰 **£230 MILLION** is available – but when it’s gone, it’s gone!

⚠️ Remember, 75% of the Window 1 budget was allocated within just 45 HOURS of the portal opening!

👩‍🌾 Who can apply?

✅ Farmers eligible for Window 1 who didn’t submit an application
✅ Farmers with an existing CS or SFI agreement ending before 28th February 2027 should replace those actions in this round
✅ ANY farmer – whether currently in an environmental scheme or not, provided new actions don’t conflict with existing agreements

📣 **RBS IS NOW FULLY BOOKED FOR WINDOW 2 APPLICATIONS**

We already have **over 120 applications** to input and submit and, to ensure we provide the service our existing clients deserve, we cannot take on any further SFI26 Window 2 applications.

🙏 A huge **THANK YOU** to everyone who contacted us well in advance and gave us the time to properly plan and develop their application.

📧 **If we are already working on your application, please help us to help you by responding to our emails and queries as quickly as possible.**

🌾 We encourage all farmers to explore the opportunities available through SFI26 as we simply don’t know when the next round will open.

🚜📑 **Rural Business Services Ltd**

19/08/2026

Cool Office Vibes 😎❄️

Well… the pressure at RBS HQ is building as we work hard to ensure that all of our Sustainable Farming Incentive applications are ready for the RPA portal opening in September.

To ensure that the RBS Team stay cool, calm and collected during this busy period we’ve had air conditioning fitted by Owen & Tom of Peak Mechanical Services. No more melting at our desks — just a chilled-out team in a seriously cool office 🥶😎 ! ❄️

Thanks again, Peak Mechanical Services & Jack Hardy— you’ve made the office a much cooler place to work! 👌

16/08/2026

🌾 **DROUGHT SUPPORT FOR FARMERS – SUMMER 2026** ☀️

Defra has announced a package of measures to help farmers manage the impact of the current drought and prolonged dry weather.

🚜 **Key measures include:**

🌱 Farmers can use eligible **SFI and Countryside Stewardship plots for grazing, fodder and other purposes**, without financial penalty, under temporary adjustments.

💷 An **additional £50 million** is being added to the **SFI26 Window 2** budget, taking the total fund to **£290 million**. Window 2 is due to open in September.

💧 A **new grant for on-farm reservoirs** is expected to open in Autumn 2026.

🚰 The Environment Agency will prioritise requests for **short-term abstraction licence variations**.

🏗️ Planning barriers for building reservoirs are also being reduced.

🐄 **Temporary SFI & Stewardship adjustments**

From **15 August**, farmers can use some or all eligible SFI and Stewardship plots to provide much-needed grazing and fodder for livestock. These arrangements will remain available until the Environment Agency removes the relevant county from drought or prolonged dry weather status.

Importantly, you **do not have to be a livestock farmer** to help – eligible fodder or grazing can be shared with other farmers, although it cannot be sold for financial gain.

📝 To use a temporary adjustment, you will need to complete the **Temporary Adjustment Form** and email it to the RPA at:

📧 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

The form includes details of the eligible options and actions, so it is worth checking whether any land within your agreement qualifies.

🔎 **Full Defra guidance:**
Hot and dry weather: temporary support for farmers in 2026 - GOV.UK

The guidance explains what you can do with individual options and action codes, including how much of an area can be cut, grazed or ploughed.

👉 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/minor-and-temporary-adjustment-mta-form-countryside-stewardship

There are **lots of different scenarios and allowances depending on the options you have within your agreement**, so we strongly recommend checking the full guidance before making any changes.

🤝 **Need some help?**

The Rural Business Services Ltd team can help you understand what you can and cannot do with your plots and assist with completing the Temporary Adjustment Form.

📞 Please get in touch with the team if you would like advice.

🌐 [www.ruralbusinessservices.co.uk](http://www.ruralbusinessservices.co.uk)

11/08/2026

We are delighted that we have received our very first agreement offer 🥇for a Capital Grant 2026 application which we submitted on 30th July 🥳.

If you applied for a capital Grant, then please check your email inbox 💻over the next few days to see if you have an agreement offer too! 🗞️

You should check the agreement against your application and then sign and return the declaration 📄to accept the agreement and make it live.⚡️💡

07/08/2026

We decided to celebrate 🥳our achievement of submitting all 80 of our client’s Capital Grant 2026 applications, along with all the required supporting evidence, by having lunch at the Bay Horse in Market Weighton 😋 this week.
The total funding we applied for on our client’s behalf is a huge £1.7 million !!!!

06/08/2026

UPDATE ON THE SUSTAINABLE FARMING INCENTIVE 2026 (SFI26) SCHEME

Window 1 🪟of SFI26 opened to eligible applicants on 30th June 2026. Window 1 🪟is still open as the budget of £60 million 💷has not been fully allocated.

Defra have announced that Window 1 will close for applications at midnight on Friday 28th August 2026 🔒and any of the £60 million not spent will be added into the budget allocated for Window 2 ➡️which is £180 million.

The opening date for SFI26 Window 2 🪟soon after the closure of Window 1. So, “soon after” (whatever that means!) 28th August 2026 we will be given the date in September 2026 that the SFI26 window 2 portal will open🗓️

Some farmers will be invited to “test drive” 🏎️the new system, so please check your emails 💻The subject heading is: Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26): Express your interest to apply early for Window 2.

If you receive an invite, then the reply needs to be submitted by 23rd August 2026.
There are a limited number of spaces, and if selected you will be notified by 28th August 2026.

If invited, you must be able to apply straight away, which means that you must have a draft/plan of what your SFI26 application will be, meaning that you must get to work on drafting your agreement application NOW!

You’ll be able to start, complete and save your SFI26 application, however, you will not be able to submit it until Window 2 opens for all eligible farmers and land managers… but this does put you in a very strong 💪🏻position to be one of the first 🥇to submit your application so we urge those lucky ones who have received the “golden ticket” 🎫emails to accept the invitation.

06/08/2026

Farmers will soon be receiving their Delinked BPS Payment into their bank accounts. You may well miss it 👀🕵️‍♂️as it is so small this year! Most clients will be receiving a total of £600.00 💷for 2026, but do please check your bank account to ensure that this income has been credited ✅

01/08/2026