This is a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) action. Read the SFI26 scheme information to understand what you’re required to do under an SFI26 agreement and how to apply.
\n\nSelect ‘See all updates’ at the start of this page to find out how this action has changed for SFI26 compared with SFI24.
\n\nFor SFI24 actions, read the SFI24 agreement holder’s information.
\n3 years
\n\n£764 per hectare (ha) per year
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there’s an in-field raised grassy bank, with tussocky grass allowed to develop.
\n\nThe purpose of this is to:
\n\nprovide nesting and foraging habitats for ground-nesting birds, small mammals and insects
\nhelp slow down or stop soil erosion
\nsupport an integrated pest management approach if located close to cropped areas
\nYou can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
\n\nan eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1.1 ‘Eligible land types’ in the SFI26 scheme information)
\nregistered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
\ndeclared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover
\n| Eligible land type | \nEligible land cover | \nCompatible land use code | \n
|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | \nArable land | \nLand use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops\n | \n
| Temporary grassland | \nArable land | \nTG01 | \n
| Arable land lying fallow | \nArable land | \nFA01 | \n
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must:
\n\ngive notice to Natural England to get SSSI consent before the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) offer you an SFI26 agreement
\nhave received SSSI consent from Natural England before you do this action (read section 10.1 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details)
\nHistoric and archaeological features: Ineligible – you must not enter any area that contains an historic or archaeological feature into this action. This only affects the area where the feature is located in a land parcel. You can apply for this action on the remaining area in the land parcel if it’s eligible.
\n\nTotal or part of the available area in a land parcel. It’s your responsibility to check that the area you enter is eligible for this action.
\n\nYou must do this action on the area entered into your SFI26 agreement. If something happens which means you cannot complete this action on some or all of the area, you must tell the RPA in writing as soon as possible. Read section 12.2 ‘What to do if you cannot comply with your agreement’ in the SFI26 scheme information to find out how to do this.
\n\nThis action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.
\n\nYou must establish an in-field beetle bank by:
\n\ncreating a raised earth ridge
\nsowing a mixture of fine-leaved grasses, such as red fescue, together with some tussock forming varieties like tall fescue, timothy and cocksfoot
\nYou can leave gaps of up to around 40m at each end of the beetle bank to allow machinery access.
\n\nOnce the grassy mix on the beetle bank is established, you must maintain it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
\n\nYou must not apply:
\n\nany fertilisers, manures or lime
\napply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
\nYou can maintain an existing beetle bank to get paid for this action if it:
\n\nmeets this action’s requirements
\nis not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as Countryside Stewardship option AB3 (beetle banks)
\nYou must:
\n\nestablish the beetle bank within 12 months of this action’s start date
\nmaintain the beetle bank throughout each subsequent year of this action’s duration
\nIt’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
\n\nfollow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’
\ndo the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
\nYou may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
\n\nYou must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
\n\nfield operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
\nphotographs or other documentation
\nIf it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.
\n\nYou can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.
\n\n| Scheme | \nAction or option codes | \n
|---|---|
| \nSFI 2026 actions | \nAGF1, AGF2, OFC3, OFC4, OFM4, OFM5, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nAGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC3, OFC4, OFM4, OFM5, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nIPM1, NUM1, SAM1 | \n
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nCAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CWS1, CWS3 | \n
| \nCS options | \nOR3, OR4, OT3, OT4 | \n
| \nES options | \nNo ES revenue options | \n
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read section 5.6 ‘Land that’s already in other funding schemes or grants’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details.
\n\nYou can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
\n\nThe following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
\n\nThis action:
\n\nYou can spread beetle banks across your farm to help connect farmland wildlife with other farm habitats.
\n\nTo establish the beetle bank, you can create or maintain a raised earth ridge that’s:
\n\nTo create a raised earth ridge, you can:
\n\nYou can sow the grassy seed mixture by broadcasting it on to the seed bed. To keep moisture in the soil, you can roll it after sowing using an all-terrain vehicle.
\n\nTo minimise the risk of the beetle bank slumping you can avoid:
\n\nYou may find it helpful to read the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) guidance on beetle banks.
\n\nTo help the grassy mix to establish, you can cut it several times during the first spring and summer after sowing. To reduce the risk of soil compacting, try to avoid cutting when the bank is wet.
\n\nFrom the second spring and summer after sowing, you can cut:
\n\nTo enhance the benefits for wildlife, you can sow flower species in your seed mix such as:
\n\nIf you plant woody shrubs and low growing trees around every 20 m to 30m, this can provide:
\n\n