SFI actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland
Find out about the SFI actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland, what land is eligible for each action, and what you need to do to get paid.
Applies to England
This section contains the mandatory requirements for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland. These requirements are part of your SFI agreement.
You can choose which SFI actions to do and what area of eligible land to do them on. There are no mandatory combination of actions.
What we explain in each SFI action
The details of each SFI action explain:
- the action’s aim
- where you can do the action - this includes what land is eligible, whether it’s a rotational or static action, and which other environmental land management actions or options you can do on the same area within a land parcel (noting that it may also be possible to do part-parcel actions on another area within the same land parcel)
- what you need to do for the action
- when to do the action
- how to do the action – which is up to you, as long as it’s done in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve the action’s aim
- what evidence to keep
SFI actions with an area limit
There are some actions in the SFI 2023 offer that:
- take land out of food production
- are intended to be done on a small proportion (up to 25%) of the farm, as part of a sustainable system – the actions are unlikely to deliver their intended aims if they’re done on more than 25% of the farm
For SFI applications submitted on or after 26 March 2024, there are 6 SFI actions which must only be done on a proportion of your farm. These actions are referred to as ‘limited area’ actions and include:
- IPM2: Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips
- AHL1: Pollen and nectar flower mix (which should be growing in blocks or strips in a land parcel)
- AHL2: Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land (which should be growing in blocks or strips in a land parcel)
- AHL3: Grassy field corners or blocks
- IGL1: Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management
- IGL2: Winter bird food on improved grassland
You can choose as many of these ‘limited area’ actions as you wish, but the total eligible area you enter into them must not be more than 25% of the total agricultural area of your farm. This does not apply to existing agreements or applications submitted before 26 March 2024.
For example, if the total agricultural area of your farm is 50ha, this means you must only enter up to a total of 12.50ha of eligible land into any combination of one or more of these ‘limited area’ actions.
For the purpose of these ‘limited area’ actions:
- ‘farm’ means all the land parcels that are linked to your SBI at the point you apply for an SFI agreement – these parcels are shown on your digital maps
- ‘agricultural area’ means the area in each of the land parcels that’s registered with an arable, permanent grassland or permanent crops land cover
Rotational SFI actions
If you choose a rotational SFI action, you’ll tell us the area and location of that action for the first year of your SFI agreement in your application.
It will be possible for you to vary the coverage of rotational actions, so they work with your crop rotation and different sizes of land parcels. This means that in the second and third years of your agreement, you’ll be able to do the action on:
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a larger area than you entered into the action for the first year of your SFI agreement
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a lower area, as long as it’s at least 50% of the area you entered into the action for the first year of your agreement – for example, if you enter 10 hectares (ha) into a rotational action for the first year, you can decrease that area to 5ha for the second year and then either keep it as 5ha for the third year or increase it again.
We’ll let you know how to tell us about a change to the area and location of rotational actions for the second and third agreement years.
SFI actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland
The SFI actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland are focused on providing habitat and food sources for farmland birds, pollinators and a range of other farmland wildlife.
They include:
- IGL1: Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management
- IGL2: Winter bird food on improved grassland
IGL1: Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management
What you’ll be paid
You’ll receive £333 per hectare per year.
This action’s aim
This action’s aim is that grassland field corners or blocks are taken out of management so tussocky grass can develop.
The purpose of this is to:
- provide year-round habitat for a range of wildlife
- support an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach if located close to cropped areas
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on eligible agricultural land located below the moorland line. The table below sets out what land is eligible for IGL1.
Eligible land for IGL1
| Eligible land type | Eligible land use code | Compatible land cover |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary grassland | TG01 | Arable land |
| Improved permanent grassland | PG01 | Permanent grassland |
The glossary explains what we mean by land types, land use codes and compatible land covers.
The SFI application service will automatically calculate what area may be eligible for this action in each land parcel. This is called the ‘SFI available area’. You must check this area is an eligible land type. Find out how the SFI available area is calculated in the information on land that’s eligible for the SFI actions.
You can apply for this action on either the total SFI available area in each land parcel shown in your SFI application, or part of that area. However, this action is normally intended to be done on part of a land parcel as a field corner or block.
For SFI applications submitted on or after 26 March 2024, 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 the guidance on SFI actions with an area limit for more information and a list of ‘limited area’ SFI actions.
This action is static. You must do this action on the same area of eligible land each year of your 3-year SFI agreement. You cannot move the area each year.
You must not enter any area within a land parcel into this action that contains historic or archaeological features identified in your SFI Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER). Read the information about historic and archaeological features, including scheduled monuments to find out more about the SFI HEFER.
Other land management actions or options you can do on the same area as IGL1
The table below sets out which other SFI actions, Countryside Stewardship (CS) management options, Environmental Stewardship (ES) revenue options and SFI pilot standards can be located on the same eligible area within a land parcel as IGL1.
Actions or options that can be located on the same area within a land parcel as IGL1
| Scheme | Action or option codes that can be located on the same area as IGL1 |
|---|---|
| SFI 2023 | SAM1, IPM1, NUM1 |
| CS | OR1, OR3, OT1, OT3, SW17, SW18 |
| ES | No ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot | No area-based SFI pilot standards |
Use the CS grant finder to search for the CS option codes shown above.
The SFI actions for hedgerows (HRW1, HRW2 and HRW3), CS option BE3 and the introductory level of the SFI pilot hedgerows standard can be done on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into IGL1.
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area within a land parcel as IGL1, this is because it’s not an eligible land type, or the activities are incompatible, or you would be paid twice for doing the same activities on the same land. In this case, that area will be automatically removed from the affected land parcel’s SFI available area in your SFI application.
If this is the case, you may be able to do the action on a different area in the same land parcel if:
- it’s an eligible land type for the action or option
- it’s a part-parcel action or option
- the area used for the action or option does not overlap with the area used for IGL1
Read the information about eligibility of land used for other schemes and funding sources to find out more.
What to do
You must leave grassland field corners or blocks entered into this action unmanaged, so they’re uncut and un-grazed.
You must not do the following on the unmanaged grassland field corners or blocks:
- graze them with livestock - you can apply for CS Capital Grants for fencing to help you do this
- cut them, except for localised cutting to control injurious weeds or invasive non-natives, soft or hard rush, nettles or bracken carry out activities that may disturb breeding birds or damage nests
- apply any fertilisers, manures or lime
- use pesticides, except for herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds or invasive non-natives, soft and hard rush, nettles or bracken
When to do it
You must do this action each year of your 3-year SFI agreement.
How to do it
It’s up to you how you complete this action, as long as you do it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
You may find it helpful to read the voluntary guidance on how to take grassland field corners or blocks out of management, but you do not have to follow it.
What evidence to keep
You should keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action. This will help if it’s not clear that you’ve completed the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.
This evidence could include photographs and other documentation to show what you’ve done to complete this action. It could also include field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices. If you choose to take photographs, read the guidance on how to take photographic evidence for SFI actions.
IGL2: Winter bird food on improved grassland
What you’ll be paid
You’ll receive £515 per hectare per year.
This action’s aim
This action’s aim is that improved grassland entered into this action is maintained so it’s left to go to seed during the autumn and winter months.
The purpose of this is to provide winter food for farmland birds.
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on eligible agricultural land located below the moorland line. The table below sets out what land is eligible for IGL2.
Eligible land for IGL2
| Eligible land type | Eligible land use code | Compatible land cover |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary grassland | TG01 | Arable land |
| Improved permanent grassland | PG01 | Permanent grassland |
The glossary explains what we mean by land types, land use codes and compatible land covers.
The SFI application service will automatically calculate what area may be eligible for this action in each land parcel. This is called the ‘SFI available area’. You must check this area is an eligible land type. Find out how the SFI available area is calculated in the information on land that’s eligible for the SFI actions.
You can apply for this action on either the total SFI available area in each land parcel shown in your SFI application, or part of that area.
For SFI applications submitted on or after 26 March 2024, 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 the guidance on SFI actions with an area limit for more information and a list of ‘limited area’ SFI actions.
This action is rotational. You can do it on the same area of eligible land each year of your 3-year SFI agreement, or you can move the area each year.
Other land management actions or options you can do on the same area as IGL2
The table below sets out which other SFI actions, CS management options, ES revenue options and SFI pilot standards can be located on the same eligible area within a land parcel as IGL2.
Actions or options that can be located on the same area within a land parcel as IGL2
| Scheme | Action or option codes that can be located on the same area within a land parcel as IGL2 |
|---|---|
| SFI 2023 | SAM1, IPM1, NUM1 |
| CS | HS3, HS9, OR1, OR3, OT1, OT3, SW17, SW18 |
| ES | No ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot | No area-based SFI pilot standards |
Use the CS grant finder to search for the CS option codes shown above.
The SFI actions for hedgerows (HRW1, HRW2 and HRW3), CS option BE3 and the introductory level of the SFI pilot hedgerows standard can be done on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into IGL2.
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area within a land parcel as IGL2, this is because it’s not an eligible land type, or the activities are incompatible, or you would be paid twice for doing the same activities on the same land. In this case, that area will be automatically removed from the affected land parcel’s SFI available area in your SFI application.
If this is the case, you may be able to do the action on a different area in the same land parcel if:
- it’s an eligible land type for the action or option
- it’s a part-parcel action or option
- the area used for the action or option does not overlap with the area used for IGL2
Read the information about eligibility of land used for other schemes and funding sources to find out more.
What to do
You must maintain improved grassland entered into this action.
To maintain the improved grassland, you must manage it in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
This includes:
- cutting it for silage or hay in a way that allows it to go to seed
- leaving it un-grazed after the final cut for silage and hay
If you’re already maintaining improved grassland, you can use it to meet this action if it:
- meets the requirements explained above
- is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as CS option GS3 (ryegrass seed-set as winter food for birds)
When to do it
If you’re doing this action on the same area of land for the 3-year duration of your SFI agreement, you must:
- start maintaining the improved grassland within the first 12 months of your SFI agreement
- continue to maintain the area of improved grassland in each subsequent year of your 3-year SFI agreement
If you’re rotating this action around your farm, each year of your SFI agreement you must do it for a period of time that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
How to do it
It’s up to you how you complete this action, as long as you do it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
You may find it helpful to read the voluntary guidance on how to maintain winter bird food on improved grassland, but you do not have to follow it.
What evidence to keep
You should keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action. This will help if it’s not clear that you’ve completed the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.
This evidence could include photographs and other documentation to show what you’ve done to complete this action. It could also include field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices. If you choose to take photographs, read the guidance on how to take photographic evidence for SFI actions.
Last updated 25 March 2024 + show all updates
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The government is introducing new measures to limit the amount of land farmers can take out of productive actions. New section 'SFI actions with an area limit' added. 'Where you can do this action' sections for IGL1 and IGL2 updated.
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Update to how much you will be paid IGL2
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Links added to voluntary guidance. Additional guidance added to what to do on unmanaged grassland field corners or blocks.
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First published.