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£798 per hectare (ha) per year
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there’s an established multi-annual flower-rich grass mix which:
\n\nis growing in margins, blocks or in-field strips
\nproduces flowering plants during the spring and summer months, into early autumn
\nThe purpose of this is to:
\n\nencourage natural crop pest predators as part of an integrated pest management approach if located close to cropped areas
\nprovide habitat and foraging sites for invertebrates, including natural crop pest predators, wild pollinators such as bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies, and farmland birds
\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 SFI 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\n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | \nArable land | \nLand use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops\n | \n\n |
| Temporary grassland | \nArable land | \nTG01 | \n\n |
| Arable land lying fallow | \nArable land | \nFA01 | \n\n |
| Permanent crops – horticultural and non-horticultural | \nPermanent crops | \nLand use codes for permanent crops\n | \n\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 SFI scheme information for more details (including a list of the ‘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 flower-rich grass mix as a margin, block or in-field strip on land entered into this action.
\n\nYou must use a seed mix which includes at least both:
\n\n4 grass species (not ryegrass) – these should make up no more than 90% of the total mix by weight
\n10 wildflower species – with no individual flower species being more than 25% of the total wildflower species element by weight
\nOnce the flower-rich grass margin, block or in-field strip is established (usually from the second spring after sowing), 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 not do the following on the established flower-rich grass margin, block or in-field strip:
\n\ncut or graze it with livestock in a way that means this action’s aim cannot reasonably be expected to be achieved
\nuse them for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery)
\nmechanically apply any fertilisers and manures
\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 flower-rich grass margin, block or in-field 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 AB8 (flower rich margins and plots)
\nIf you’re establishing a new flower-rich grass margin, block or in-field strip to meet this action, you must:
\n\nIf you’re maintaining an existing flower-rich grass margin, block or in-field strip to meet this action, you must do this until this action’s end date. You may need to oversow it within 12 months of this action’s start date, so it can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
\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, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nAGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nIPM1, NUM1, SAM1 | \n
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nCAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CPAC1, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CWS1, CWS3 | \n
| \nCS options | \nOR3, 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 SFI 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 explains the minimum requirement for grass species and wildflower species in the seed mix (under ‘What to do’).
\n\nGrass species you could choose include:
\n\nFlower species you could choose include:
\n\nYou can choose to sow a seed mix containing more wildflower species than this action requires. Using an enhanced mix can be beneficial as it retains more flower species for longer and is likely to mean less frequent re-sowing. It can also help to provide a more varied mix of flowers for beneficial insects.
\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 flower-rich grass margins, blocks or in-field strips, 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 to sow the seed mix on sites that:
\n\nYou can choose to sow the seed mix:
\n\nSowing a number of margins, in-field strips or blocks, spaced as evenly as possible across your farm, will create a network of habitats for beneficial insects. For example, you could space 5 blocks of 0.5ha evenly across 100ha to allow beneficial insects to move across that area.
\n\nYour seed supplier can advise you on an overall sowing rate for the seed mix you choose. The recommended minimum seed rate for flowers in the mix is 2 kilograms (kg) per hectare.
\n\nIt’ll help the seeds to germinate if they’re sown into a seedbed that’s:
\n\nYou can either:
\n\nIf the soil is dry enough, rolling after you have sown the seeds can improve seed-to-soil contact, retain moisture and reduce the risk of slug damage.
\n\nDuring the first spring and summer after sowing, it’s advisable to check the margin, block or in-field strip regularly to monitor germination. If establishment is poor, you may need to re-sow part or all of it. Your seed supplier can help you if you’re unsure what to do.
\n\nCutting the margin, block or in-field strip regularly during the first 12 months after sowing will help to control weeds, so the sown plants can establish. You can do this whenever the weeds are just above the sown flowers, so they’re starting to shade them out. Read ‘cutting the margin, block or in-field strip’ for more information.
\n\nOnce the margin, block or in-field strip is established, you can cut or graze it with livestock providing it’s done in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
\n\nTo help you achieve this action’s aim, you could do some or all of the following:
\n\nIf you’re cutting the margin, block or strip:
\n\n