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£151 per hectare (ha) per year
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there’s grassland which produces a sward with:
\n\nflowering grasses and wildflowers from late spring and during the summer months
\na variety of plant heights by autumn
\nsome covering of flowering grasses and wildflowers left to go to seed
\ntussocky grass allowed to develop
\nThe purpose of this is to:
\n\nprovide nectar and shelter for invertebrates and a food supply for farmland birds
\nsupport an integrated pest management approach if located close to cropped areas
\nminimise nutrients being carried in surface water runoff to watercourses
\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
|---|---|---|
| Temporary grassland | \nArable land | \nTG01 | \n
| Improved and low input permanent grassland | \nPermanent grassland | \nPG01 | \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) can 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 available area in a land parcel (at the point of application). It’s your responsibility to check that the area you enter is eligible for this action.
\n\nYou can apply for this action on a different area in the same land parcel if you:
\n\nalso apply for CIGL1: Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management or you already have it in an existing SFI24 agreement
\nalready have GRH6: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland (endorsed) in an existing SFI24 agreement
\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 minimise the use of nutrient inputs on the grassland entered into this action by applying no more than either:
\n\n12 tonnes per ha of cattle farmyard manure
\nequivalent amounts of available nutrients as fertiliser or in other organic manures as an alternative to cattle farmyard manure
\nYou must also do the following on the grassland:
\n\ngraze it with livestock or cut it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
\nminimise bare ground, so the soil is covered by vegetation and is not directly exposed to the elements
\nThere must be an intact grass sward throughout the year, without compacted areas or poaching. You can carry out supplementary feeding of livestock on the grassland, but you must make sure this does not cause poaching.
\n\nYou must not do the following on the grassland:
\n\napply digestate or any other industrial by-product, including paper waste
\ncarry out mechanical activities, including hay and silage cutting, in a way that may disturb breeding birds or damage nests as birds, nests and eggs are protected by law
\ncarry out drainage works
\nplough, cultivate or re-seed it
\napply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
\nallow areas of scrub to develop on land with historic or archaeological features
\nIf you cut the grassland for conserved forage, you must:
\n\nnot graze or cut it for a continuous period of at least 7 weeks during the spring and summer months before taking the forage cut, to allow the sward to develop flowering grasses and wildflowers
\nin each land parcel, leave an uncut margin around the edge of the area entered into this action when it’s cut for conserved forage, to help provide shelter for invertebrates
\nAfter you’ve cut the area for conserved forage, you must manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
\n\nIf you’re already managing grassland with very low nutrient inputs, you can use it 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 agreement option, such as CS option GS2 (permanent grassland with very low inputs (outside SDAs)) or GS5 (permanent grassland with very low inputs (SDAs))
\nYou must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
\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
\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, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nAGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nIPM1, NUM1, SAM1 | \n
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nCAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CPAC1, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CSW15, CSW16, CSW18, CSW20, CWS1, CWS3 | \n
| \nCS options | \nOR1, OR2, OT1, OT2, SW15, SW16 | \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\nYou can apply for the following supplemental actions on land you enter into this base action 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\nIf you’re already managing the grassland with very low nutrient inputs (below the thresholds required by this action), try not to increase inputs above your current levels.
\n\nTo get the most environmental benefits, you can choose to remove all nutrient inputs. You can use well-rotted farmyard manure to replace nutrients lost by cutting and removing hay or haylage.
\n\nMake sure you follow the farming rules for water. These require you to take steps to stop manure, fertiliser or soil getting into waterbodies and watercourses.
\n\nIt’s up to you how you graze or cut the grassland, as long as it:
\n\nIf you’re grazing the grassland (and not cutting it for conserved forage), you can do the following to help you achieve this action’s aim:
\n\nYou can increase the benefits for wildlife by leaving a longer sward through the summer and following winter. For example, you can maintain a higher average sward height of around 8cm or more, with:
\n\nTo find out more about measuring swards and planning how to manage grazing, read AHDB’s guidance on planning grazing strategies for better returns.
\n\nIf you’re cutting the grassland, but it’s not for conserved forage, you can do the following to help you achieve this action’s aim:
\n\nIf possible, you can remove the cut vegetation to help:
\n\nIf it’s impractical to remove the cut vegetation, you can leave finely chopped cuttings, spread as thinly as possible.
\n\nIf you’re cutting the grassland for conserved forage, you can do this after the plants have flowered and set seed. This will usually mean cutting from around either:
\n\nBefore cutting, check for signs of nesting birds. Birds, nests and eggs are protected by law, so if you see signs of nesting birds, delay cutting until the birds fledge.
\n\nAfter you have cut for conserved forage, you can graze the aftermath or take a second cut in late summer or early autumn and remove the cuttings.
\n\nTo minimise bare ground and reduce the risk of compacted areas or poaching, you can consider doing some or all of the following, as relevant:
\n\n