Defra has finally unveiled the budget for its flagship Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme – but is £240 million enough to meet demand from farmers?

Former Natural England agriculture head Geoff Sansome gives his verdict – and explains why thousands of farmers could still be left in limbo when existing agreements expire.

We also bring you an exclusive interview with new Red Tractor chief executive Paul McLaughlin, who responds to criticism of the farm assurance scheme.

Just weeks into the role, Mr McLaughlin outlines plans for reform and explains how technology, AI and simpler audits could help rebuild trust with farmers.

Recorded at the Cereals event at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm, we discuss why this year’s show has been one of the most talked-about industry events in years.

And we hear about the NFU’s call for government support to protect growers from soaring fertiliser costs.

Finally, we meet the team behind Only Farmers – a new online platform designed to help farmers market products, share equipment, promote experiences and connect with customers.

Guests

* Geoff Sansome – former head of agriculture, Natural England
* Red Tractor chief executive Paul McLaughlin
* NFU president Tom Bradshaw
* Lisa Hogan – co-founder, Only Farmers
* Wolfe Bentinck – co-founder, Only Farmers

Chapters

00:00 SFI budget finally confirmed
01:45 Geoff Sansom on whether £240m is enough
05:41 Industry reaction to the SFI announcement
09:02 Exclusive: Red Tractor chief executive Paul McLaughlin
11:36 Why assurance reform is taking so long
14:05 Imports, standards and farmer frustrations
16:38 Technology, AI and the future of farm assurance
20:41 Panel reaction to Red Tractor’s plans
24:49 Cereals 2026 from Diddly Squat Farm
25:14 Has Jeremy Clarkson changed Cereals?
30:51 NFU fertiliser resilience plan explained
35:43 Markets: beef, sheep, pigs, cereals and diesel
38:34 Only Farmers: a new platform for agriculture
41:47 Can farmers benefit from Only Farmers?
43:50 Final thoughts and goodbye

Useful links

Sustainable Farming Incentive

Red Tractor

National Farmers Union

Cereals Event

Only Farmers

Natural England

Farmers Weekly

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom. Edited and produced by Johann Tasker.

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