39. SFI Disaster: What on Earth Is Going On With Farming Funding?

Put your thoughts into the mix Before we get onto this week's episode, Charlotte has been creating the most amazing pieces of wool artwork! The two unique pieces will be auctioned off at the upcoming British Farming Awards to raise money for the Farming Community Network. So, if you’re heading to the awards, make sure you’ve got your pennies ready! Now, onto the SFI debacle. The application window opened suddenly and the funding which helps farmers deliver good environmental outcomes was gone in a matter of hours. Add in the IT issues, helpline problems and farmers who weren’t even aware the window had opened, and it’s fair to say it was a bit of a shambles. What actually happened, was there ever enough money available in the first place, and what on earth farmers are supposed to do now? We talk about the first-come, first-served approach to government funding, whether farming should be treated differently to other industries, and why there seems to be so much judgement from people who think farmers should just get on with it without any support. We touch on the familiar accusation that this Labour Government is anti-farming - is this the case, or is farming being pushed to change in ways that farmers aren’t necessarily happy with?  The Jury's Out shares a song we are completely OBSESSED with! A big thank you to our sponsors, Kirkby Tyres and BKT, for supporting the Wilson & Ashley Podcast. Join our **Listener Community**: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110531760649475/ If you’ve got a story, an opinion, or an idea for an episode… Send us a DM or drop us a voice note — we want to include your thoughts in our conversation.  Subscribe now and let’s get into it! @wilsonandashley @rebeccawilsonfarming @charlotteashleyfarm *Powered by Ridgeline Clothing* Whilst we endeavour to research podcast topics to the best of our ability, we cannot guarantee the accuracy and completeness of all conversations and as such, the podcast does not constitute professional advice.