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CLIG3: Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (updated for SFI26)

What you must do to get paid for this SFI26 action and advice on how to do it.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Rural Payments Agency
Published
21 May 2024
Last updated
17 June 2026 — See all updates
Grant type:
Sustainable Farming Incentive
Land type:
Grassland
Areas of interest:
Soil health and Water quality

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.

Select ‘See all updates’ at the start of this page to find out how this action has changed for SFI26 compared with SFI24. 

For SFI24 actions, read the SFI24 agreement holder’s information.

Duration 

3 years 

How much you’ll be paid 

£151 per hectare (ha) per year 

Action’s aim 

This action’s aim is that there’s grassland which produces a sward with: 

  • flowering grasses and wildflowers from late spring and during the summer months 

  • a variety of plant heights by autumn 

  • some covering of flowering grasses and wildflowers left to go to seed

  • tussocky grass allowed to develop 

The purpose of this is to: 

  • provide nectar and shelter for invertebrates and a food supply for farmland birds 

  • support an integrated pest management approach if located close to cropped areas 

  • minimise nutrients being carried in surface water runoff to watercourses 

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:

Eligible land

Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code
Temporary grassland Arable land TG01
Improved and low input permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01

Eligibility of protected land

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must:

Historic 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).

Available area you can enter into this action 

Total 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.

You can apply for this action on a different area in the same land parcel if you:

  • also apply for CIGL1: Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management or you already have it in an existing SFI24 agreement

  • already have GRH6: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland (endorsed) in an existing SFI24 agreement

You 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.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration. 

What to do 

You must minimise the use of nutrient inputs on the grassland entered into this action by applying no more than either: 

  • 12 tonnes per ha of cattle farmyard manure 

  • equivalent amounts of available nutrients as fertiliser or in other organic manures as an alternative to cattle farmyard manure 

You must also do the following on the grassland: 

  • graze it with livestock or cut it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim 

  • minimise bare ground, so the soil is covered by vegetation and is not directly exposed to the elements 

There 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. 

You must not do the following on the grassland: 

  • apply digestate or any other industrial by-product, including paper waste 

  • carry 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

  • carry out drainage works 

  • plough, cultivate or re-seed it 

  • apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken 

  • allow areas of scrub to develop on land with historic or archaeological features

If you cut the grassland for conserved forage, you must: 

  • not 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 

  • in 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

After 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. 

If you’re already managing grassland with very low nutrient inputs, you can use it to get paid for this action if it: 

  • meets this action’s requirements

  • is 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)) 

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration. 

How to do it 

It’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:

  • follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’ 

  • do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim

You may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.

Evidence to keep 

You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as: 

  • field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices 

  • photographs or other documentation 

If 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. 

Other actions or options you can do with this action 

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.

Scheme Action or option codes
SFI 2026 actions AGF1, AGF2, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, PRF2
SFI 2024 actions AGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, PRF2
SFI 2023 actions IPM1, NUM1, SAM1
CSHT actions from 2025 CAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CPAC1, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CSW15, CSW16, CSW18, CSW20, CWS1, CWS3
CS options OR1, OR2, OT1, OT2, SW15, SW16
ES options No ES revenue options

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.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:  

  • SFI 2026 actions: CHRW2, BND1, BND2 and WBD2
  • SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2 
  • SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3   
  • CSHT actions: CHRW4
  • CS options: BE3 (management of hedgerows)   

Supplemental actions you can apply for with this base action

You can apply for the following supplemental actions on land you enter into this base action in the same SFI26 application:

  • GRH7: Hay making supplement – you can also apply for SPM3 on the same area as GRH7
  • GRH8: Hay making supplement (late cut) – you can also apply for SPM3 on the same area as GRH8
  • GRH10: Lenient grazing supplement – you can also apply for SPM3 on the same area as GRH10
  • SPM3: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%) – you can also apply for GRH7, GRH8 or GRH10 on the same area as SPM3

Advice to help you do this action

The following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.

Minimising your use of nutrients

If 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.

To 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.

Make 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.

Managing grassland

It’s up to you how you graze or cut the grassland, as long as it:

  • meets this action’s requirements
  • is done in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim

Grazing with livestock

If 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:

  • start grazing the area when the average sward height is around 10-12 centimetres (cm)
  • try to maintain an average sward height of around 5cm, with a mix of taller and shorter heights
  • remove livestock when the average sward height falls below around 5cm
  • use paddock grazing or temporary electric fencing to manage grazing on different parts of the fields - sward productivity may deteriorate over time, so rotating areas can help with this

You 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:

  • some taller areas (over 10cm tall), to provide invertebrate habitat and let plants flower and set seed
  • some shorter areas (less than 10cm tall), to make it easier for birds to find food

To find out more about measuring swards and planning how to manage grazing, read AHDB’s guidance on planning grazing strategies for better returns.

Cutting the grassland

If 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:

  • vary the cutting dates and height of each cut – this will create a range of cut and uncut sward heights
  • if you’re not grazing the grassland, vary the cutting height within each area to avoid leaving large blocks at a uniform height

If possible, you can remove the cut vegetation to help:

  • reduce the risk of it smothering grass species
  • remove nutrients, which can prevent weeds from growing

If it’s impractical to remove the cut vegetation, you can leave finely chopped cuttings, spread as thinly as possible.

If 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:

  • the end of June in lowland areas (outside severely disadvantaged areas)
  • mid-July in upland areas, where the grass growth is often slower

Before 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.

After 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.

How to minimise bare ground and compaction

To minimise bare ground and reduce the risk of compacted areas or poaching, you can consider doing some or all of the following, as relevant:

  • remove livestock or reduce numbers when the ground is wet
  • move feeders and temporary water troughs (when weather and ground conditions allow) to manage the way livestock move around the area
  • remove heavier livestock (such as cattle) in the winter
  • supplementary feed livestock on drier fields (avoiding areas with historic or archaeological features) – ideally scatter feed on the ground rather than concentrating livestock around feeders
  • avoid cutting the grassland for forage if the weather is wet
  • avoid using machinery on saturated ground

Updates to this page

Published 21 May 2024
Last updated 17 June 2026 Show all updates

  1. Added 'Advice to help you do this action' section.

  2. The following changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version): • when you enter the total available area into this action that only applies at the point of application – this only applies to SFI26 agreements, not existing SFI23 or SFI24 agreements • minor 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’

  3. 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. Eligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information. What to do - added link to GOV.UK guidance on birds, nests and eggs being protected by law. Other actions or options you can do on the same area - added supplemental actions GRH7, GRH8, GRH10, GRH11, SPM2 and SPM3. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements.

  4. First published.

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