Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support will be available to farmers in Runcorn and Helsby whose Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier or Higher Tier agreements expire in December 2026 and who were unable to secure a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 agreement.

Approximately 8,800 Window 2 applicants, around 72% of the total, had a Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship or SFI agreement due to expire on or before 28 February 2027. SFI26 introduced functionality allowing eligible businesses to apply early for actions on land covered by an expiring agreement. Eligible farmers who did not obtain an SFI26 agreement will have another opportunity to apply in 2027. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier remains available through its expression-of-interest process for appropriate land and activities. Defra is working to bring forward the 2027 SFI offer as early as possible.