Thousands of UK farmers have been left without access to crucial funding as the government’s 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme ran out of money within six hours of opening. The £233 million program, designed to support farmers in protecting nature, soil, and other public goods, became available for applications at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. However, by 4 p.m., the entire budget had been allocated, and the scheme was closed. This was the first chance many farmers had to apply since the SFI was abruptly shut down in March 2025. The next opportunity for funding is not until 2027. The rapid depletion of the SFI budget has drawn criticism from environmental and farming organizations. Vicki Hird, strategic lead on agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts, compared the scramble for funding to "the scramble to get Oasis tickets," calling the situation shocking. She urged the government to better manage its budget to ensure farmers have the resources they need for environmental protection, food security, and national security. Alice Groom, head of sustainable land policy at the RSPB, called the speed at which the money was used "unprecedented." She noted that while the program was expected to be in high demand, it was surprising that all the funds were exhausted in a single day. Groom criticized the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for lacking a system to manage the budget effectively, which has led to a "first come, first served" situation. Farmers also faced long waits for assistance with their applications. Some had to wait up to five hours to speak to an advisor, meaning many would have missed the deadline. Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said this would leave thousands of farmers without the funding they needed to invest in their businesses. He described the situation as "terribly sad," highlighting the "desperation" many farmers are facing due to extreme weather conditions, including heat and drought, and rising costs for fertilizers linked to the war in Iran. Without funding, Lines asked, "how will they remain resilient?" The sudden exhaustion of the SFI budget also raises concerns about the government’s ability to meet its legally binding nature targets, such as restoring 30% of nature by 2030. Groom warned that many environmental goals would be missed. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has described this year as the "toughest summer in a generation" and called for urgent action to plan the 2027 SFI scheme with greater budget transparency. While the government added £50 million to the 2026 SFI budget, the NFU remains concerned that the limited funding threatens long-term environmental progress and fails to fully support farmers' efforts to improve the environment.