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£648 per hectare (ha) per year
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there’s an established winter bird food mix growing in blocks or strips, with plants that:
\n\ngrow and flower during the spring and summer months
\nset seed to produce a supply of small seeds from late autumn until late winter
\nThe purpose of this is to:
\n\nprovide food resources for smaller farmland birds, especially in late autumn and winter
\nencourage flowering plants in the summer, which will benefit insects including bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies
\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
| Permanent crops – horticultural and non-horticultural | \nPermanent crops | \nTC01 | \n
This is a ‘limited area’ action. The total eligible area you enter into any combination of one or more of the ‘limited area’ actions must not be more than 25% of the total agricultural area of your farm. Read section 4.5 ‘Limited area SFI actions’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details (including a list of ‘limited area’ actions).
\n\nSites 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\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 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
\nYou must establish a winter bird food mix as a block or strip on land entered into this action.
\n\nYou must use a seed mix which includes at least 6 small seed-bearing crops, which are suitable for smaller farmland bird species. The mix must not include:
\n\nartichokes
\nreed canary grass
\ngiant and intermediate sorghum
\nmaize
\nmiscanthus
\nsweet clover
\ntic beans
\nIf you sow an annual mix, it can include a range of cereals, brassicas or other small-seeded crops. If you sow a 2-year mix, it can also include biennial crops such as kale, stubble turnip or teasel.
\n\nOnce the winter bird food mix block or strip is established, you must maintain it. To do this, you must manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
\n\nYou must re-establish a 1-year mix annually and 2-year mixes every other year, so they continue to produce an extended supply of small seeds. This can be at the same location or a different location.
\n\nYou must not use the winter bird food mix block or strip for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery).
\n\nYou can maintain an existing winter bird food mix block or strip 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 CS option AB9 (winter bird food)
\nYou must:
\n\nestablish the winter bird food mix block or strip in time for it to flower in the first summer after sowing (usually this means by the end of June)
\nmaintain the mix at the same location until late winter (usually around the end of February) in the year after it was sown (for 1-year mixes) or the following year (for 2-year mixes)
\nIf this action’s start date means it’s too late to establish the winter bird food mix, you must establish it within 12 months of your action’s start date.
\n\nIf you establish the winter bird food mix block or strip after the end of June, you must maintain it at the same location for 2 consecutive winters in order to achieve this action’s aim.
\n\nIn the final year of this action’s duration, you must do this action either until late winter, 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 evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
\n\nfield operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices, including details of the seed mix used
\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, CIPM3, CIPM4, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, PRF1, PRF2, PRF4, SOH1, SOH3 | \n
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nAGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, PRF1, PRF2, PRF4, SOH1, SOH2, SOH3 | \n
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nIPM1, IPM3, IPM4, NUM1, SAM1 | \n
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nCAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CHS3, CHS9, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CWS1, CWS3 | \n
| \nCS options | \nHS3, HS9, OR3, OR4, OR5, OT3, OT4, OT5 | \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\nIf you apply for CAHL2, you can also apply for supplemental action AHW2: Supplementary winter bird food in the same SFI26 application.
\n\nThe following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
\n\nThis action explains (under ‘What to do’):
\n\nCereal crops you could use include:
\n\nBrassica crops you could use include:
\n\nYour seed supplier can help you choose a seed mix that’s the best match for your land and local conditions.
\n\nWhen you establish the winter bird food mix, by law you cannot cultivate or apply fertilisers or pesticides to land within 2 metres (m) of the centre of a hedgerow. Read the guidance on Hedgerow management rules; buffer strips to understand how these rules apply to you.
\n\nIt will usually help if you sow the winter bird food mix block or strips on sites that:
\n\nYou can choose to locate the winter bird food mix blocks or strips to square up cultivated areas which could help to speed up farm operations.
\n\nYou can use larger blocks or strips (between around 0.4 hectares (ha) and 5ha) to:
\n\nYour seed supplier can advise you on an overall sowing rate for the seed mix you choose.
\n\nIt will usually help the seeds to germinate if you sow the seed mix:
\n\nYou can either:
\n\nAfter you have sown the seed mix, you can roll the seeds (if the soil is dry enough) to improve:
\n\nAround 4 weeks after sowing, it’s advisable to check the block or strip for germination. If establishment is poor, you may need to re-sow part or all the block or strip. Your seed supplier can help you if you’re unsure what to do.
\n\nOnce the block or strip is established, this action requires you to to maintain it by managing it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
\n\nTo help you achieve the action’s aim, you may need to do the following, as necessary:
\n\n