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£489 per hectare (ha) per year
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there’s a dense and diverse grass sward throughout the year which:
\n\nis on land at risk of erosion or surface runoff or that creates a buffer to a sensitive habitat
\nhas a range of heights during the autumn and winter months
\nhas minimal bare ground, so the soil is covered by vegetation and is not directly exposed to the elements
\nhas low fertiliser inputs
\nThe purpose this is to:
\n\nstabilise the soil
\nreduce nutrient losses
\nreduce the risk of flooding
\nYou can do this action on agricultural land that’s:
\n\nidentified by you as being at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff, or is important for buffering ‘sensitive habitats’ – 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
\nFor the purposes of this action, ‘sensitive habitats’ include:
\n\nwatercourses and waterbodies (streams, rivers, ponds or lakes)
\nsites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) at risk of diffuse water pollution
\npriority habitats – you can find these on Natural England’s priority habitat inventory map or the MAGIC website
\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 |
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 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:
\n\nestablish a diverse grass sward on land entered into this action
\nuse a seed mix which includes at least 5 grass species
\nOnce the grass sward 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. This includes:
\n\nmaking sure there’s an intact sward throughout the year, with minimal bare ground
\ngrazing or cutting the sward during the spring and summer months, with cuttings removed in late summer after the bird breeding season
\nYou must not do the following on the grass sward:
\n\ngraze it with livestock during the autumn and winter months (usually from early October until mid-March)
\napply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
\napply any fertilisers or manures from late summer until mid-winter (usually from mid-August until the end of January) – this is to reduce the risk of runoff
\napply any livestock manures with 100 kilograms (kg) or more of total nitrogen per ha per year
\nwhere you do not use livestock manures, apply nitrogen fertiliser to supply 50kg or more per ha of total nitrogen per year
\nsupplementary feed, except for non-energy based mineral blocks
\nYou can maintain an existing grass sward 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 SW7 (arable reversion to grassland with low fertiliser input)
\nIf you’re establishing a new grass sward to meet this action, you must:
\n\nsow the mix by early autumn, within 12 months of this action’s start date
\nmaintain it at the same location until this action’s end date
\nIf you’re maintaining an existing grass sward to meet this action, you must do this until this action’s end date.
\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 either:
\n\nat risk of soil erosion or surface runoff – you can use a soil management plan you’ve already produced for CSAM1 or SAM1 to identify this
\nimportant for buffering sensitive habitats
\nYou must also 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
\nstocking records to show grazing activity at a land parcel level
\ninput records of nitrogen application
\nphotographs and 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.
\n\nYou must supply this 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, OFM1, PRF1, PRF2 | \n
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nAGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC1, OFM1, PRF1, 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 | \nOR1, OT1 | \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 explains the minimum number of grass species required (under ‘What to do’).
\n\nYou can tailor your choice of grass species to your soil type, how and when you plan to cut your sward.
\n\nThe following species will grow in most conditions and can form part of a basic grass seed mixture:
\n\nYou can increase the environmental benefits by adding wildflowers such as:
\n\nControlling weeds and cutting the sward regularly in the first 1 to 2 years of the sward being established will encourage grasses to grow.
\n\nBefore you cut the sward, check it 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 have fledged.
\n\n","change_history":[{"note":"Added 'Advice to help you do this action' section.","public_timestamp":"2026-06-17T11:11:30Z"},{"note":"The following changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version):\r\n\r\n•\tthis action’s duration is now 3 years – this only applies to SFI26 agreements, not existing SFI24 agreements\r\n•\tminor updates to standard wording which appears in all area-based SFI actions – see ‘Eligibility of protected land’ and ‘Available area you can enter into this action’ \r\n","public_timestamp":"2026-06-02T13:02:32Z"},{"note":"Action’s aim - deleted ‘next to a watercourse’. Added ‘so the soil is covered by vegetation’ for minimal bare ground. \r\nWhere 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 livestock manure application to 100 kilograms (kg) or more of total nitrogen. Updated nitrogen fertiliser to 50kg or more. \r\nOther actions or options you can do on the same area - added supplemental action WB9 (nil fertiliser). \r\nPublished voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements. 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