2026

The latest Defra wild bird statistics show that the UK farmland bird index has declined by 63% since 1970, with further declines recorded in recent years. Against that backdrop, the long-term trends at Allerton provide a striking contrast. 

Read our response to The Guardian's recent article: 'UK bird populations fall to lowest level on record'.

The day spent on the recent SFI 2026 application window was almost certainly the most stressful, frustrating and ultimately devasting I have ever worked. The disappointment when I told my colleagues, directors and trustees that we didn’t get in was heartbreaking. 

The last two drilling seasons have been pretty easy, but this year a lot of seed isn't going into moist ground so we're waiting on rain. Seed can wait a couple of weeks, but if it sits in the ground too long it’s more vulnerable to slugs and the amount drilled may prove insufficient to ensure adequate plant count. 

As Defra gathers evidence on the impacts of gamebird rearing, release and shooting in England, it is essential that the discussion is informed by real-world examples from working landscapes.

For the past decade the Allerton Project has worked alongside Syngenta to deliver a valuable long-term look at the realities behind the transition from ‘conventional’ farming practices within a combinable cropping system to a more ‘conservation’ and ‘regenerative’ approach.

After 18 months in which the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) - Defra’s flagship mechanism to help farmers deliver the food and nature outcomes on which this nation depends - was closed, farmers had less than six hours to submit their applications for 3-year periods of funding before the door was once again slammed shut.

As a placement student joining the Allerton Project's research team, I have quickly discovered that there is far more happening here than first meets the eye.

For 35 years the Allerton Project has been at the forefront of providing the evidence base upon which the modern agri-environmental scheme stands, and we strongly believe that a well-planned and executed scheme returns multiple benefits to the farm business:

Due to this summer’s extreme weather, cereals were harvested three weeks earlier than you would normally expect. This resulted in a yield loss of around 10% to 30% on most crops.