Welsh Farmers gain new tools to build resilient, sustainable farms

The Welsh Government recently published an overview of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) Optional and Collaborative support that will be available later in 2026 and into 2027, as part of a phased introduction throughout the transition period up to 2029. 

The Universal Layer of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) started in January and the Single Application Form allows farmers to apply for the scheme. For those farmers who want to go further, the Optional and Collaborative Layers are designed to help farmers build on the foundation of the Universal Layer and do even more to improve the resilience of their farm business and local environment.

Both layers are designed to complement the Universal Layer which provides a foundation from which to build.

CLA members are reminded that the deadline for application to the Sustainable Farming Scheme is May 15 2026.

The Optional Layer will provide opportunities for farmers to undertake more targeted activity to improve the environment on their farm, and the resilience of their farm business by encouraging them to be more deeply engaged with sustainable practices by allowing them to tailor environmental actions to their specific land and business interests.

Categories of support offered by this layer include: Capital: production and efficiency, Capital: environment, sustainable production (new), organic farming, habitat management and habitat creation, temporary habitat, woodland management, Woodland creation, small infrastructure and Infrastructure and equipment.

The Collaborative Layer is designed to support activity across landscapes, regions and nationally to deliver outcomes at a larger scale. The aim is to promotes cooperation to tackle environmental issues that cannot be solved by one farm alone, such as habitat restoration, water catchment management, or wildlife corridors.

The categories of support available from the Welsh Government include: 

Innovation, research and development: Harnessing the potential of innovative new approaches is key to solving many of the challenges being faced. A blend of collaborative coordinated activities delivered by government, commercial and academic stakeholders working together including initiatives such as the Agri-Food technology challenge fund.

Collaborative market and supply chain: This category will allow Welsh Government to continue to provide an extensive programme of advisory services, discussion groups, and tailored development programmes to help farmers adapt to modern supply chains.  An extensive programme of advisory services, discussion groups, and tailored development programmes to help farmers adapt to modern supply chains such as the Clusters Programme, the Helix Programme and Cywain.

Collaborative landscape scale activity: Under this category, Welsh Government aims to support collaboration between farmers, foresters, land managers and other organisations to work together at a landscape, catchment, or regional level to deliver outcomes that cannot be delivered on a single farm. Support for collaborative landscape activity includes the continuation of three existing mechanisms including: Ffermio Bro, Habitat Wales Scheme (Commons) and Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS). 

Further information on the optional and collaborative layers of SFS can be found here.

Please get in touch with our Senior Policy Adviser Fraser McAuley if you have any questions.