Organic management and conversion – Wales
Funding for organic in Wales
Farmers can get support to convert to organic with the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
The window for applications for organic conversion support has now closed. A grant award offer will have now been made to successful applicants via their RPW online account and they have until 1 January 2026 to register with a certification body.
The Welsh government has also updated payment rates for keeping land under full organic certification in 2026.
Key information:
Details on the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS)
For the first time since 2022, Welsh farmers have been able to access financial support to convert to organic farming through the Welsh Government’s SFS. The window closed in September and successful applicants have until 1 January to register with a certification body.
Those wanting to apply to access payment rates for keeping land under full organic certification in 2026 will be able to do so from 1 March 2026.
The SFS has three layers of support:
Universal Layer
All farmers will be eligible, with a greater focus on sustainable land management practices. Farmers choosing to move from BPS into the SFS Universal Layer will need to carry out 12 actions ranging from soil health planning and habitat maintenance, to online courses to enhance knowledge and skills related to sustainable farming. The Universal Layer payment will also reflect the total area of habitats and tree cover on farm.
The Welsh Government has also launched an online calculator to help farmers understand the Universal Layer payment available for their farm.
Optional Layer
The Optional Layer of the scheme is designed to provide you with choice and flexibility to undertake more targeted and specific actions depending on your farm business, and what you want to achieve. This includes the organic maintenance support scheme.
Collaborative Layer (upcoming)
The Collaborative Layer is designed to foster partnership working with actions designed to be carried out in a coordinated way by multiple farmers, land managers, and other organisations at a landscape, catchment or national scale.
Apply now.
The financial benefits of organic farming
The UK organic market has seen 13 years of consecutive growth. With funding available for organic production, there are opportunities for farmers to certify and convert to organic.
We recommend organic farmers to consider their routes-to-market when planning to convert their farm to organic.
As part of their applications, farmers will need to show they are working with an independent organic control body, such as Soil Association Certification, to plan their conversion.
Financial Support for organic conversion
The organic conversion window has now closed so the below rates are examples from 2025. We will update this page once the 2026 conversion window opens.
Organic Control Body certification costs
A contribution towards certification costs of £500 per year for the two-year conversion period will be provided however applicants who already have organic certification but are applying to bring additional land into organic production will not be eligible for the £500 certification costs contribution.
Organic conversion rates (per hectare):
Horticulture. Land used for horticultural production in 2025, with horticultural crops to be sold. Fodder crops not eligible. £640/ha
Enclosed with rotational crops/ temporary grassland. Land within a rotation, such as arable land, grassland within an arable rotation and temporary grassland: £250/ha
Enclosed land with permanent crops / grassland. Permanent grassland: GR2 and GR8. Land not within a crop rotation / permanent crop: £130/ha
Enclosed land with permanent and temporary grassland with a dairy enterprise. Land can be grassland within a crop rotation, permanent grassland or temporary grassland. This payment rate will only apply to land which supports a dairy enterprise, i.e. dairy animals and dairy youngstock: £430/ha
Land above the upper limit of enclosure. Land above the upper limit of enclosure is defined as land above the agricultural enclosure and is characterised by its open nature and has received limited agricultural improvement: £18/ha
Organic support payment rates (per hectare)
Support continues to be available on all land certified as fully organic under the following categories:
Horticulture. Land used for horticultural production, with horticultural crops to be sold. Fodder crops not eligible: £375/ha
Enclosed with rotational crops/ temporary grassland. Land within a rotation, such as arable land, grassland within an arable rotation and temporary grassland: £76/ha
Enclosed land with permanent crops / grassland. Permanent grassland: GR2 and GR8. Land not within a crop rotation / permanent crop: £60/ha
Enclosed land with permanent and temporary grassland with a dairy enterprise. Land can be grassland within a crop rotation, permanent grassland or temporary grassland. This payment rate will only apply to land which supports a dairy enterprise, i.e. dairy animals and dairy youngstock: £115/ha
Land above the upper limit of enclosure. Land above the upper limit of enclosure is defined as land above the agricultural enclosure and is characterised by its open nature and has received limited agricultural improvement: £10/ha
There is no upper limit to the area of land that can be submitted for the Organic Conversion Scheme.
The maximum payment will be capped according to the following:
Area Payment:
- 0 - 200 ha of eligible land: 100% of the payment rate
- 200 – 400 ha of eligible land: 50% of payment rate
- 400 ha of eligible land: +10% of payment rate
Certification costs for maintaining organic certification after the conversion period are not supported.
Please note that the organic conversion and maintenance payments are also still available to farmers who chose to remain in the Basic Payment Scheme.
Payment rates are intended to support the sectors where Welsh Government believe organic farming will make the biggest positive impact on the environment.
Find out more about payment rates on the Welsh government website.