SFI actions for nutrient management
Find out about the SFI actions for nutrient management, 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 nutrient management (NM). 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 combinations of actions, and no minimum or maximum areas.
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
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:
- a larger area than you entered into the action for the first year of your SFI agreement
- 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.
Overview of the SFI actions for nutrient management
The SFI actions for nutrient management are focused on:
- increasing nutrient management knowledge
- supporting more efficient use of nutrients
- encouraging more effective use of organic sources of crop nutrition
They include:
- NUM1: Assess nutrient management and produce a review report
- NUM2: Legumes on improved grassland
- NUM3: Legume fallow
These actions should help to optimise use of nutrients and manage them more efficiently, reducing costs and waste and helping to improve farm productivity and resilience. They should also provide a range of environmental benefits, including:
- improved water and air quality
- increased biodiversity
- reduced emissions (through reduced use of inorganic fertilisers)
NUM1: Assess nutrient management and produce a review report
How much you’ll be paid
You’ll receive £652 for the assessment and review report per year.
This action’s aim
This action’s aim is that you assess your current approach to nutrient usage and effectively plan how to:
- manage your nutrient usage more efficiently and effectively
- optimise your use of organic sources of crop nutrition
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on all agricultural land located below the moorland line.
NUM1 is an agreement level SFI action. This means you do not enter specific areas of land into this action in your SFI application. The assessment and nutrient management review report should cover all of the relevant areas of your farm.
Once you’ve included this action in an SFI agreement, you cannot apply for it again until that 3-year agreement ends. You cannot apply for it in multiple SFI agreements.
To apply for this action, at least one land parcel needs to be linked to your SBI, so it shows on your digital maps in the Rural Payments service.
Other land management actions or options you can do with NUM1
The table below sets out which other SFI actions, CS management options, ES revenue options and SFI pilot standards you can do with NUM1. This is only possible if the requirements explained under ‘Where you can do this action’ above are met.
Actions or options that can be done with NUM1
| Scheme | Action or option codes that can be done with NUM1 |
|---|---|
| SFI 2023 | All SFI actions, except MOR1 |
| CS | All CS options |
| ES | All ES options |
| SFI pilot | All SFI pilot standards |
What to do
You must arrange for a member of the BASIS Professional Register who’s qualified under the Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme (a ‘FACTS qualified adviser’) to visit your farm to:
-
assess your current nutrient use and needs for your farm
-
identify and discuss opportunities to increase efficiency of your nutrient usage, and maximise the use of natural sources of crop nutrients on that land
-
help you produce a written nutrient management (NM) review report
You must make sure that the FACTS qualified adviser does what’s required above.
If you’re a FACTS qualified adviser, as defined above, you can complete this action yourself.
If you already have a written NM review report, informed by an NM assessment, carried out by a FACTS qualified adviser, you can use it to meet this action if it was written within the last 12 months.
If you need to take soil samples on areas within a land parcel containing historic or archaeological features, including scheduled monuments, you must:
- request an SFI Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (SFI HEFER), as explained in the information about historic and archaeological features (section 4.3.2)
- meet the requirements for taking soil samples on these areas, as explained in the information about completing SFI actions on land containing historic and archaeological features (section 4.3.2)
When to do it
You must make sure that a FACTS qualified adviser visits your farm to:
- complete the NM assessment and help you produce a written NM review report within the first 12 months of your SFI agreement
- reassess your nutrient use and needs for your land and review your NM review report in each subsequent year of your 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 complete a nutrient management assessment and produce a review report, but you do not have to follow it.
What evidence to keep
You must keep:
- a written record of your NM review report, including the NM assessment
- evidence that the adviser is a FACTS qualified adviser, such as their name and BASIS or FACTS registration number.
You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.
NUM2: Legumes on improved grassland
What you’ll be paid
You’ll receive £102 per hectare per year.
This action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there are legumes growing from spring until early autumn.
The purpose of this is to:
- manage nutrient efficiency
- protect the soil surface
- provide root growth that maintains soil structure, supports soil biology, and minimise nutrient leaching, soil erosion and runoff
- 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 NUM2.
Eligible land for NUM2
| 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.
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.
You must not enter any area within a land parcel into this action that contains historic or archaeological features identified in your SFI HEFER. Read the information about historic and archaeological features, including Scheduled Monuments to find out more about the SFI HEFER.
You should also not enter any area of land into this action that has peaty soil because this action could damage peat. Peaty soil means there’s around 20% or more organic matter to a depth of 40cm or more. The soil organic matter (SOM) test results from completing action SAM1 will tell you if this is the case.
Other land management actions or options you can do on the same area as NUM2
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 NUM2.
Actions or options that can be located on the same area within a land parcel as NUM2
| Scheme | Action or option codes that can be located on the same area as NUM2 |
|---|---|
| SFI 2023 | SAM1, IPM1, NUM1 |
| CS | OR3, OT1, OT3, OR1 |
| ES | No ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot | SFI pilot hedgerows standard – introductory level only |
Use the CS grant finder to search for the CS option codes shown above.
The SFI actions for hedgerows (HRW1, HRW2 and HRW3) and CS option BE3 can be done on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into NUM2.
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area within a land parcel as NUM2, 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 NUM2
Read the information about eligibility of land used for other schemes and funding sources to find out more.
What to do
You must establish and maintain legumes on improved grassland entered into this action.
You can use one or more type of legume, such as:
- red clover
- white clover
- alsike clover
- sainfoin
- lucerne
- bird’s foot trefoil
You can establish the legumes by:
- adding them to an existing grass sward
- sowing a mix of grass and legumes
Once established, you must maintain the legumes. To do this, you must manage them in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
You can maintain existing areas of legumes on improved grassland to meet this action if they:
- meet the requirements explained above
- are not already being for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as CS option GS4 (legume and herb-rich swards)
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:
- establish the legumes during the first 12 months of your SFI agreement
- maintain the area of legumes in each subsequent year of your 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 establish and maintain legumes 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.
NUM3: Legume fallow
What you’ll be paid
You’ll receive £593 per hectare per year.
This action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there’s a legume fallow that produces areas of flowering plants from late spring and during the summer months.
The purpose of this is to:
- manage nutrient efficiency and improve soil health
- provide food for farmland wildlife, such as pollen and nectar for pollinators and farmland birds
- support an IPM approach by reducing grass weeds and, if located close to cropped areas, encourage natural crop pest predators
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 NUM3.
Eligible land for NUM3
| Eligible land type | Eligible land use code | Compatible land cover |
|---|---|---|
| Arable land, including temporary grassland | Arable crops | Arable land |
| Arable land, including temporary grassland | leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops | Arable land |
| Arable land, including temporary grassland | FAO1 | Arable land |
| Arable land, including temporary grassland | TG01 | Arable land |
| Permanent crops – horticultural | TC01 | Permanent crops |
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.
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.
You should not enter any area within a land parcel into this action that has peaty soil because this action could damage peat. Peaty soil means there’s around 20% or more organic matter to a depth of 40cm or more. The SOM test results from completing SAM1 will tell you if this is the case.
Other land management actions or options you can do on the same area as NUM3
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 NUM3.
Actions or options that can be located on the same area as NUM3
| Scheme | Action or option codes that can be located on the same area as NUM3 |
|---|---|
| SFI 2023 | SAM1, IPM1, NUM1 |
| CS | OR3, OR4, OR5, OT3, OT4, OT5 |
| ES | No ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot | SFI pilot hedgerows standard – introductory level only |
Use the CS grant finder to search for the CS option codes shown above.
The SFI actions for hedgerows (HRW1, HRW2 and HRW3) and CS option BE3 can be done on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into NUM3.
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area within a land parcel as NUM3, 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 NUM3
Read the information about eligibility of land used for other schemes and funding sources to find out more.
What to do
You must establish and maintain a legume fallow on land entered into this action.
To establish the legume fallow, you must sow a seed mix containing at least 6 flowering species including legumes. The seed mix can contain legumes such as:
- alsike clover
- bird’s foot trefoil
- black medick
- common vetch
- lucerne
The seed mix can also include:
- non-legume flower species
- grasses, such as cocksfoot or timothy, which can help to control blackgrass
You must avoid growing deep rooted legumes, such as lucerne, on any area within a land parcel that contains historic or archaeological features identified in your SFI HEFER. Read the information about historic and archaeological features, including Scheduled Monuments to find out more about the SFI HEFER.
The legume fallow will usually be established from the second spring after sowing.
Once established, you must maintain the legume fallow. You must do this by managing it in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
You must not do the following on the area of legume fallow once it’s established:
- graze it with livestock – if you want to graze with livestock you may want to consider action SAM3 (herbal leys) instead
- cut it, except to prevent blackgrass from setting seed or to control other annual grass weeds
- apply any fertilisers or manures
- use pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
You can maintain existing areas of legume fallow to meet this action if they:
- meet the requirements explained above
- are not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as CS option AB15 (two year sown legume fallow)
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:
- establish the legume fallow during the first 12 months of your SFI agreement
- maintain the same area of legume fallow 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 establish and maintain a legume fallow, 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.
Last updated 27 February 2024 + show all updates
-
Update to how much you will be paid NUM1
-
Links added to voluntary guidance for each action. Additional guidance notes added to action NUM1 on taking soil samples within a land parcel containing historic or archaeological features. CS options added under NUM2. NUM3 changed from static to rotational with additional guidance on this.
-
First published.