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£11 per plot per year (minimum 2 plots per hectare (ha))
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there are fallow plots for nesting skylarks within a winter cereal crop, until the crop is harvested in the summer.
\n\nThe purpose of this is to provide skylarks with suitable nesting habitats in winter cereal crops throughout their breeding season.
\n\nYou can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
\n\nidentified by you as not being at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff – you must keep evidence of this
\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
\nYou must not do this action on land that’s bounded by tree lines or adjacent to woods, unless the land parcel is larger than 10ha. This is because it increases the risks of predator attack.
\n\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: Eligible – you must get an SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.3 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’ in the SFI26 scheme information to find out how to do this).
\n\nNot applicable – you’ll apply per plot (minimum 2 plots per ha).
\n\nThis action is rotational or static. This means you can either:
\n\nmove its location for the second and third years of this action’s duration
\ndo it at the same location each year of this action’s duration
\nDuring the autumn and winter, you must create fallow plots within a winter cereal crop.
\n\nFor each land parcel where you do this action, there must be at least 2 plots per ha of winter cereal crop you’re growing. For example, if you’re growing 5ha of winter cereal crop in a land parcel, there must be at least 10 plots.
\n\nYou must make sure that the plots are large enough to meet this action’s aim. This will usually mean they need to be at least 3 metres (m) wide and around 16 square m in area.
\n\nYou must retain the fallow plots until the winter cereal crop is harvested in the summer.
\n\nYou must not locate the fallow plots in tramlines, boundaries or margins, as this increases risk of attacks on skylark nests by predators.
\n\nYou can maintain an existing skylark plot 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 AB4 (skylark plots)
\nYou must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
\n\nIf this action’s start date means it’s too late to establish the skylark plot, you must do this within 12 months of this action’s start date.
\n\nIn the final year of this action’s duration, you must do this action until the winter cereal crop is harvested, or this action’s end date whichever is earlier.
\n\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 written evidence that land entered into this action is not at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff. You can use the soil management plan you’ve already produced for SFI24 action CSAM1 or SFI23 action SAM1 to identify this.
\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 | \nOFC3, OFM4 | \n
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nCIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC3, OFM4 | \n
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nIPM1, IPM4, NUM1, SAM1 | \n
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nNo CSHT actions | \n
| \nCS options | \nHS3, HS9, OR3, OT3 | \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\nTo help make sure there is easy landing and foraging access for skylarks, you can locate the plots:
\n\nYou can establish the skylark plots by either:
\n\nIf you establish the plots by spraying, this can reduce foraging opportunities for the insects which skylarks forage for. This is because these areas will not have much vegetation for longer.
\n\nAfter drilling, you can apply fertiliser and spray treatments to the skylark plots, as well as the adjacent crop. You do not need to keep the plots weed-free.
\n\nBirds, nests and eggs are protected by law. To avoid damage to skylark nests, avoid mechanically weeding the winter cereal crop between April and harvesting.
\n\nYou can control weeds (such as black-grass and wild oat) by spot spraying using a hand-held device (such as a knapsack or hand lance) before they flower and set seed.
\n\n","change_history":[{"note":"Added 'Advice to help you do this action' section.","public_timestamp":"2026-06-17T11:20:52Z"},{"note":"No substantive changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version).\r\nThere have only been minor updates to standard wording which appears in all area-based SFI actions. See ‘Eligibility of protected land’.\r\n","public_timestamp":"2026-06-02T13:03:54Z"},{"note":"CIPM4 removed from SFI 2024 actions.","public_timestamp":"2024-08-13T14:36:25Z"},{"note":"Where you can do this action - an eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information. \r\nEligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information. \r\nWhat to do - updated example – if you’re growing 5ha of winter cereal crop, there must be at least 10 plots. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements. 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