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50 years in UK Agriculture.
We farm. We consult. We grow.
Sentry doesn't just offer advice; we deliver results. Our expert team has worked for over 50 years to generate measurable success for farm business owners. SFI Funding & Environmental Solutions.
From navigating countryside stewardship, to optimising contract farming operations, our strategies help your business grow smarter and stronger.
- Hundreds of applications submitted
- 20,000 hectares under cultivation
- Over 50 years in UK agriculture
"The Sentry team helped us to navigate the SFI grants, ensuring successful claims."Farmer, Cambridgeshire
Your SFI Team
On your farm.
By your side.
From navigating countryside stewardship to optimising contract farming operations, our expert team is here to help your business grow smarter, stronger, and more sustainably.
Alec Smith
Business Solutions Director
Alec is a Director at Sentry, one of the UK’s leading agricultural management and consultancy businesses. With a deep passion for profitable, progressive farming, Alec specialises in strategic business planning, farm management and helping clients navigate complex agricultural challenges. His strengths lie in problem-solving, negotiation and developing future-proofed business models that drive resilience and growth. Alec leads Sentry’s consultancy division and works closely with farmers and landowners to maximise returns, manage risk and unlock new opportunities across the rural sector.
Contact Alec about...
- •Advisory and Professional Services
- •Grain Marketing
- •Health & Safety NEBOSH
- •Product Procurement
- •Farm/Estate Management
- •Farming Agreement Structures
Rachel Cooper
Procurement Manager
Rachel is involved in the procurement of all seed, fertiliser, crop protection and grain marketing. She is a member of the BASIS professional register and also holds a cereal crop inspector's licence.
Contact Rachel about...
- •Fertiliser and seed advice
- •Grain marketing
- •Machinery purchases
- •Sustainable Farming Incentive support and advice
Joe Morrell
Rural Business Advisor
Joe is a graduate of Harper Adams University, obtaining a Degree in Agriculture with Farm Business Management. Joe joined Sentry in October 2022 as a Rural Business Advisor. Before relocating to Suffolk, Joe gained 5 years’ experience in the dairy industry through co-managing the family farm in Yorkshire. Prior to this Joe worked in the horticultural industry on farms located in Deal, Kent and abroad in Murcia, Spain as part of a 14-month university placement.
Contact Joe about...
- •Sustainable Farming Incentive support and advice
- •Annual budgeting, benchmarking and cashflow projections
- •Environmental scheme management
- •Nutrient, manure and soil management planning
- •Tailored technical, business and environmental advice
FAQs
SFI pays farmers to adopt and maintain sustainable farming practices that can:
- protect and improve the environment alongside food production
- improve the health and welfare of livestock and increase productivity and resilience
Our team of experts at sentry have completed hundreds of applications for farms across the country.
With this experience and knowledge, we are well suited to ensure you achieve the best outcome out of your SFI agreements and can help explain actions that would not otherwise be considered.
SFI has a rolling application window, so you can apply at the right time for you.
When you receive and accept your offer, the agreement will begin on the first of the following month.
You’ll need to keep photographic evidence for each action and parcel where appropriate.
Operational records such as spray records and drilling records will be required for evidencing.
Invoices for seed or the use of contactors are needed for evidencing.
Rotational actions can be rotated across eligible land parcels during the annual declaration period at the end of each year of the agreement.
The area of these actions can be increased each year or decreased by up to 50%.
Yes, you can apply for the SFI 2024 offer even if you have an existing SFI or CSS agreement, as long as there is no overlap in the actions or payments for the same land.
Our team suggest that all SFI applications should consider the following actions as minimum:
| CSAM1: | Assess soil, produce a soil management plan, and test soil organic matter |
| CNUM1: | Integrated pest management plan |
| CIPM1: | Nutrient management plan |
| CIMP4: | No Insecticide – On crops that routinely do not receive any insecticide |
| WBD1: | Manage ponds – where appropriate |
| Appropriate boundary actions (Such as HRW2 Manage hedgerows or BND1 Maintain dry stone walls) | |
Applicants can submit as many applications as they want and subsequently have a number of agreements running in conjunction.
No, however new SFI 2024 actions can be applied for in a separate agreement.
Yes, tenant farmers can enter the schemes as long as they can reasonably expect to have management control of the land for 3 years and meet the eligibility criteria.
There are currently 10 actions referred to as ‘limited area’ which you are only allowed to do on a proportion of your farm.
These actions include:
| CIPM2: | Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips |
| CAHL1: | Pollen and nectar flower mix |
| CAHL2: | Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land |
| CAHL3: | Grassy field corners or blocks |
| CIGL1: | Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management |
| CIGL2: | Winter bird food on improved grassland |
| WBD3: | In-field grass strips |
| AHW1: | Bumblebird mix |
| AHW9: | Unharvested cereal headland |
| AHW11: | Cultivated areas for arable plants |
You can include as many ‘limited area’ actions as you wish, but the total eligible area entered into them must not be more than 25% of the total agricultural area of your farm. (land parcels linked to your Single Business Identifier (SBI)
| SFI Option | Payment Rate Per annum (£) | Variable Costs £/ha | Operational Cost £/ Ha | Return £/ha | |
| Infield grass strips | WBD3 | £ 765.00 | £ 44.83 | £ 78.05 | £ 642.12 |
| Unharvested cereal headland | AHW9 | £ 1,072.00 | £ 115.30 | £ 130.65 | £ 826.05 |
| Bumblebird mix | AHW1 | £ 747.00 | £ 65.83 | £ 87.32 | £ 593.85 |
| Cultivated areas for arable plants | AHW11 | £ 660.00 | £ – | £ 76.50 | £ 583.50 |
| Improved grassland out of management | CIGL1 | £ 333.00 | £ – | £ – | £ 333.00 |
| Winter bird food on improved grassland | CIGL2 | £ 515.00 | £ – | £ 72.00 | £ 443.00 |
| Pollen and nectar flower mix | CAHL1 | £ 739.00 | £ 40.17 | £ 105.32 | £ 593.52 |
| Winter bird food on arable/horticultural land | CAHL2 | £ 853.00 | £ 67.00 | £ 102.63 | £ 683.37 |
| Grassy field corners and blocks | CAHL3 | £ 590.00 | £ – | £ 36.00 | £ 554.00 |
| Flower-rich grass margins/blocks | CIPM2 | £ 798.00 | £ 38.17 | £ 105.32 | £ 654.52 |
To find out more about the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), please give us a call on 01473 658058 or email sbs@sentry.co.uk
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