Guidance

SFI actions you can do on different eligible land types and features

Find out which SFI actions in the SFI 2023 offer you can do on different types of eligible land and features, and if the areas can move around your farm.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Rural Payments Agency
Published
23 June 2023
Last updated
28 February 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

The tables below set out which SFI actions you can do on different types of eligible land and features. Find out how we define eligible land and features.

The land type must be eligible for the SFI actions you choose at the start of your SFI agreement. If the land type changes because you’re completing the SFI actions this will not affect eligibility. You’ll continue to be paid for the SFI actions.

For each SFI action, the tables also set out:

  • which actions are rotational, so they can move to different areas of land each year of your SFI agreement, and which ones are static, so must be done on the same area for the duration of your 3-year SFI agreement
  • if you can do the action on the total ‘SFI available area’ within a land parcel or part of it – the SFI available area for each action is automatically calculated in the SFI application service to show you what area within a land parcel may be eligible for each action (read eligible land for the SFI actions for more information on how we’ll calculate the SFI available area for each action)
  • the annual payment for each action

These tables are wider than the width of the webpage, use the scroll bar under each table to view the hidden parts of the table.

SFI actions you can do on different land types and features

The tables below show the actions that you can take.

Actions for soils

Read the details of the SFI actions for soils.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
SAM1 Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a plan Static Total only £6.00 per hectare and an additional payment of £97 per agreement Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
SAM2 Multi-species winter cover crops Rotational or static Total or part £129 per hectare Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
SAM3 Herbal leys Rotational or static Total or part £382 per hectare Yes Yes No No Yes No No No

Actions for moorland

Read the details of the SFI actions for moorland.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
MOR1 Assess moorland and produce a written record Static Total only £10.60 per hectare and an additional payment of £272 per agreement No No No No No No Yes No

Actions for hedgerows

Read the details of the SFI actions for hedgerows.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
HRW1 Assess and record hedgerow condition Static Not applicable £5 per 100 metres – one side * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable Yes
HRW2 Manage hedgerows Static Not applicable £13 per 100 metres – one side * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable Yes
HRW3 Maintain or establish hedgerow trees Static Not applicable £10 per 100 metres – both sides * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable * Not applicable Yes

*Not applicable – linear SFI action which can be done on the boundaries of these land types

Actions for integrated pest management

Read the details of the SFI actions for integrated pest management.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
IPM1 Assess integrated pest management and produce a plan Not applicable Not applicable – agreement level SFI action £1,129 per year Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
IPM2 Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips Rotational or static Total or part £798 per hectare Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
IPM3 Companion crop on arable and horticultural land Rotational or static Total or part £55 per hectare Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
IPM4 No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops Rotational or static Total only £45 per hectare Yes No Yes Yes No No No No

Actions for nutrient management

Read the details of the SFI actions for nutrient management.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
NUM1 Assess nutrient management and produce a review report Not applicable Not applicable – agreement level SFI action £652 per year Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
NUM2 Legumes on improved grassland Rotational or static Total or part £102 per hectare No Yes No No Yes No No No
NUM3 Legume fallow Rotational or static Total or part £593 per hectare Yes Yes Yes No No No No No

Actions for farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land

Read the details of the SFI actions for farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
AHL1 Pollen and nectar flower mix Rotational or static Total or part £739 per hectare Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
AHL2 Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land Rotational or static Total or part £853 per hectare Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
AHL3 Grassy field corners and blocks Static Total or part £590 per hectare Yes Yes Yes No No No No No

Actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland

Read the details of the SFI actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
IGL1 Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management Static Total or part £333 per hectare No Yes No No Yes No No No
IGL2 Winter bird food on improved grassland Rotational or static Total or part £515 per hectare No Yes No No Yes No No No

Actions for buffer strips

Read the details of the SFI actions for buffer strips.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
AHL4 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land Static Total or part £515 per hectare Yes No Yes No No No No No
IGL3 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland Static Total or part £235 per hectare No Yes No No Yes No No No

Actions for low input grassland

Read the details of the SFI actions for low input grassland.

Code SFI action Rotational or static action Total or part SFI available area Annual payment Arable land - Arable crops Arable land - Temporary grassland Permanent crops - Horticultural Permanent crops - Non-horticultural Permanent grassland - Improved Permanent grassland - Low input Moorland Hedgerows
LIG1 Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (outside SDAs) Static Only total SFI available area, unless done with IGL1 £151 per hectare No Yes, outside SDAs No No Yes Yes No No
LIG2 Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (SDAs) Static Only total SFI available area, unless done with IGL1 £151 per hectare No Yes, in SDAs below the moorland line No No Yes, in SDAs below the moorland line Yes, in SDAs below the moorland line No No
Published 23 June 2023
Last updated 28 February 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updating new annual payment figures

  2. First published.

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