‘Shattering blow’ to farmers over pause to environmental payment scheme
A “shattering blow” has been dealt to farmers with the sudden pausing for new applications for environmental payments, according to the National Farmers’ Union.
The NFU says it was given just 30 minutes notice by the government that applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) were to close on Tuesday.
The post-Brexit scheme, launched in 2022, pays farmers and land managers to take up practices that improve productivity and protect the environment and climate.
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Protesters disrupted Defra Secretary Steve Reed’s speech at the NFU conference. Pic: PA
There were more than 100 options for farmers to choose from, including the management of hedgerows, organic farming development and providing habitat for wildlife.
The government says the budget for SFI has now been reached, adding that a “record” 50,000 farm businesses and more than half of all farmed land is now managed under the schemes.
Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrat politicians have criticised the move and the lack of any prior warning.
But NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the decision showed “how little” the Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (Defra) understood the industry.
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‘Growing disregard for agriculture within Defra’
“This is another shattering blow to English farms, delivered yet again with no warning, no understanding of the industry and a complete lack of compassion or care,” Mr Bradshaw said.
“Today’s terrible news was delivered with only 30 minutes warning to us before ministers briefed the press, leaving us unable to inform our members.
“There has been no consultation, no communication; there has been a total lack of the ‘partnership and co-design’ Defra loves to talk about. It is another example of the growing disregard for agriculture within the department.”
The government has said “every penny” in all existing SFI agreements will be paid to farmers, and outstanding eligible applications that have been submitted will also be taken forward.
It said details of a new SFI scheme will be announced following the Spending Review.
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The ‘cruellest betrayal so far’
It was only last week that thousands of farmers were protesting outside Downing Street at the inheritance tax policy that’s angered so many in agriculture.
But one group representing farmers said on Tuesday the SFI decision is the “cruellest betrayal so far”.
The scheme was introduced under the Conservatives post-Brexit, to encourage sustainable farming.
It took years to develop – and was seen as world leading in a way of ensuring farming was both productive for the sector and protective of the environment.
Although a new scheme after the spending review is promised, many farmers will be left wondering whether it’ll be as comprehensive.
The National Farmers’ Union was preparing on Wednesday to release a report saying that farming confidence in England and Wales is at its lowest level ever.
It’s described Tuesday’s news as a “bleak irony”.
In a statement, minister for food security and rural affairs Daniel Zeichner said: “This government is proud to have set the biggest budget for sustainable food produce in history, to boost growth in rural communities and all across the UK, under our plan for change.
“More farmers are now in schemes and more money is being spent through them than ever before. That is true today and will remain true tomorrow.
“We have now successfully allocated the SFI24 budget as promised.”
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The government claims the last administration left the scheme uncapped – and they had to put a limit on to stop it running over budget.
‘Absolutely bonkers’
Olly Harrison, an arable farmer on Merseyside who organised the latest farming protest in London earlier this month, said the decision showed farmers were being “attacked from every single angle”.
“It’s just absolutely bonkers. The scheme worked. It was to replace what we had when we were in Europe [the EU] and a lot of farms embraced it, they were doing real good with it.”
“Why have we got people who don’t understand and don’t understand the environment in power?”
Edward Morello, the Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset, told Sky News the decision will “alarm farmers across the UK” – and called for the government to “start listening and responding” to the agricultural community.
Tim Farron, the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said the decision was made with “no warning”.
Conservative shadow farming minister Robbie Moore said the change was “absolutely scandalous”.
The first-ever Capture case has been delayed at the Court of Appeal as the Post Office asks for an extension to respond, Sky News has learned.
Pat Owen, a former sub postmistress who has since passed away, was convicted of stealing in 1998 based on evidence from computer software.
The system, known as Capture, was used in up to 2,500 branches in the 1990s, before the infamous Horizon system was introduced.
Hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongfully convicted between 1999 and 2015 as part of the Horizon scandal.
Earlier this year, Sky News unearthed a 1998 report showing the Capture software was also faulty.
That report, commissioned by the solicitors acting for Mrs Owen in 1998, was served on the Post Office and may never have been seen by the jury in her case.
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‘All we want is her name cleared’
Ms Owen was given a suspended prison sentence and fought to clear her name subsequently – but died in 2003.
Her case was referred by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to the Court of Appeal in October.
The Post Office had until 5 December to respond to papers put forward by Mrs Owen’s defence team but they have now asked for an extension until 30 January.
Ms Owen’s daughter, Juliet Shardlow, described the family’s suffering at the lengthening wait.
“I need to emphasise the profound impact the ongoing delay is having on our family,” she said.
“The continuous uncertainty only compounds our heartache, stress, and anxiety.
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“It has become the last thing I think about before I go to sleep and the first thing when I wake up.
“We have waited 27 years for justice, and this additional wait feels never-ending.”
Ms Owen’s case is the first time a conviction based on Capture has reached the Court of Appeal since the scandal was exposed.
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Lawyers have said that if Ms Owen is exonerated posthumously, it may “speed up” the handling of others.
CCRC chair Dame Vera Baird also told Sky News in the summer it could be a “touchstone case” for other victims.
The CCRC is also continuing to investigate around 30 other “pre-Horizon” convictions.
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We have sought an extension of time to fully consider and respond to the CCRC’s Statement of Reasons in Ms Owen’s case.
“We deeply regret the impact our request for further time will have on Ms Owen’s family.
“We have a duty to carefully consider the evidence presented in the Statement of Reasons submitted by the CCRC and do everything we can to fully assist the Court when it considers this conviction.”
Meanwhile, the first-ever redress scheme for victims of the Post Office Capture IT scandal was launched this autumn.
The Capture Redress Scheme will provide payments of up to £300,000, and more in “exceptional” cases, to former postmasters who suffered financial losses.
OpenAI has signed its first major licensing deal to bring well-known characters to life on its Sora video generation tool.
The company said the agreement with Walt Disney was part of a push to ensure the rights of creators in the generative artificial intelligence (AI) space amid growing concerns over copyright, fakes and misinformation.
It forms part of a $1bn Disney investment in OpenAI, that will see the entertainment firm roll out ChatGPT to its staff and grow its AI capabilities.
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The initial three-year licensing deal will allow Sora users to generate and share videos based on more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars characters.
These include Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Luke Skywalker.
Sora allows people to quickly create realistic clips based merely on text prompts.
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Disney and OpenAI said they were committed to responsible use of AI amid the backlash from critics who have pointed to widespread misuse of generative AI in the social media space – a practice known as AI slop.
Some have depicted fake messages from celebrities and even used the dead.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said: “This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences.
His counterpart at Disney, Bob Iger, added that the partnership would “extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works”.
As part of the deal, some user-generated Sora videos will be made available on the Disney+ streaming service.
Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said of the tie-up: “It’s a win-win situation for Disney and OpenAI. Disney gets to deploy its beloved brands in the world of AI while keeping control of the intellectual property.
“Fans can use Disney characters to make videos and take social media content to another level. That could drive significant traffic to OpenAI’s Sora social media platform, turning a relatively unknown entity into a household name in a flash.
“As part owner of the business, Disney will be able to use the equity stake in OpenAI to ensure its characters are used in a controlled environment.
“It’s a significant step forward for the concept of fan fiction”, he concluded.
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