SPM3: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%)

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

This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.

Duration

Same as base action

How much you’ll be paid 

£146 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim 

This supplemental action’s aim is that more than 80% of grazing livestock units (GLU) on sensitive grassland habitats are rare native breeds of livestock.

The purpose of this is to maintain or increase the number of rare native breed grazing livestock.

Where you can do this action     

You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land that you’re grazing with livestock, which is entered into one of the following base actions:

  • CLIG3: Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs
  • AGF1: Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
  • AGF2: Maintain low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
  • OFC1: Organic conversion – improved permanent grassland
  • OFC2: Organic conversion – unimproved permanent grassland
  • OFM1: Organic land management – unimproved permanent grassland
  • OFM2: Organic land management – improved permanent grassland
  • GRH6: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland (endorsed)

Eligibility of protected land

Protected land Eligibility
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) Same as base action
Historic and archaeological features Same as base action

Available area you can enter into this action

This is the same as the base action.

Rotational or static action 

This is the same as the base action.

What to do

During each grazing season, more than 80% of total GLU on land entered into the relevant base action must be both:

Where relevant, the stocking density (total GLU) on land entered into this action must be as required in the applicable base action.

To convert livestock numbers into GLU, you must use the following values:

  • Cattle over 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 1.0 GLU
  • Cattle over 6 months to 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 0.6 GLU
  • Lowland ewe and lamb, or ram – 0.12 GLU
  • Store lamb, hill ewe and lamb or hogg or teg – 0.08 GLU
  • Goat – 0.12 GLU
  • Pony or donkey – 0.8 GLU
  • Horse – 1.0 GLU

Advice to help you find out how to calculate the livestock density will be published before applications are fully launched from summer 2024. It will not be part of this action’s requirements.

You must produce the following written records:

  • a monthly record of grazing animals at the parcel level
  • unique individual animal movement identification numbers for each eligible animal
  • any changes to the original documentation since the action’s start date, such as replacement animals
  • the unique individual permanent NBAR breed identification numbers for each eligible animal - either the pedigree registration number or birth notification number
  • breed registration records and proof of animal provenance, parentage and availability for each animal

When to do it 

You must do this action each year of its 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

Advice to help you find out how to manage sensitive grassland habitats with native breeds will be published before applications are fully launched from summer 2024. It will not be part of this action’s requirements.

Evidence to keep 

You must keep the required written records and supply this evidence if we ask for it.

Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action 

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action. Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read ‘What to do’ and ‘When to do it’ to find out when this action must be done.

Scheme Action or option codes
SFI actions Same as base action
CS options Same as base action
ES options Same as base action
SFI pilot standards Same as base action

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 6 ‘Eligible land in other funding schemes’ for more information.

Published 21 May 2024