Rural business consultancy Sentry Farming has slashed the amount of time it takes to manage clients' Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements with a new app. Agreements which used to take up to 12 hours to set up now take less than one using Regeno's Farm Walk software.

As environmental schemes continue to raise the administrative demands placed on farmers and advisers, businesses are increasingly turning to digital tools to streamline evidence collection, improve inspection readiness and support future growth.

Sentry's relationship with Regeno first began nearly two years ago through conversations about what farmers and consultants needed from digital tools and stewardship software. "We initially had general conversations about what farmers and consultants needed from digital tools, and I was involved in helping Regeno understand the demands of the market," says Joe Morrell, rural business adviser at Sentry. "That's since developed into the Farm Walk software it's created."

Sentry manages clients' environmental agreements including Countryside Stewardship and the SFI, with a strong focus on ensuring evidence is properly collected and stored should inspections take place. "The income is so important to farm businesses at the moment, so it's vital that evidence is collected correctly, and if an inspection were to happen, that they would pass comfortably," says Mr Morrell.

Before adopting the software, evidence collection relied on a combination of spreadsheets, OneDrive folders, mapping platforms and other systems. "It took a lot more time," he says.

One of the biggest operational improvements has been the reduction in set-up time for new clients. "Previously, it took us 10 to 12 hours to set a client up using our old system, whereas with Regeno it now takes less than an hour," he says. The business is now looking at how the software could support a much larger number of agreements in future, particularly as further SFI developments are expected in 2026.

Mr Morrell believes scalable digital systems will become increasingly important for consultants managing growing client numbers and compliance requirements. "It's one of the few systems that genuinely feels like it's been built with advisers in mind," says Mr Morrell. "The way it combines evidence collection, agreement oversight and AI functionality means we can manage records, inspections and client compliance much more efficiently, while spending far less time on administration. 

For more information visit https://regeno.farm.