What the action involves
This action’s aim is that over the winter until mid-spring there’s a mix of seeds spread on the ground at different feeding areas which are:
- firm and free draining, such as farm tracks or hard standing areas
- close to areas of winter bird food, enhanced overwinter stubbles or game cover
The purpose of this is to provide seed-eating farmland birds (such as corn bunting, linnet, yellowhammer and grey partridge) with supplementary food when:
- seed is in short supply in the late winter period (known as the hungry gap)
- their breeding season starts
What you must do
Your Natural England adviser will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.
To get paid for this action, you must:
- spread a supplementary feeding mix as agreed with your Natural England adviser
- keep a feeding diary with details of the feeding mixture (weight of components and cost), dates of feeding, method of feeding (hopper or spreading), amount of feed and the location of feeding areas
- select feeding areas near overwinter stubbles, winter bird food plots and bumblebird mixtures (as agreed with your Natural England adviser)
In the final year of this action’s duration, you must do this action until the end of the agreement or action end date, whichever is earlier.
You must not:
- use tailings (small seeds and chaff removed from the harvested crop) as supplementary feed
- use hoppers other than to supply an agreed amount of the total amount of feed provided during the feeding periods
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its duration.
Evidence to keep
You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.
You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:
- field operations at a land parcel level
- associated invoices
- photographs
The same action appears in the other schemes under a different code. The work is broadly the same; the rate and the length of the commitment are not.
Where you can do it
You can do this action on eligible land that’s located below the moorland line.
This action must be carried out with CAB17: Winter bird food or it can be used on its own at the discretion of your adviser.
COP3: Supplementary winter bird food (organic land) is the equivalent organic CSHT action.
Eligible land
You must do this action on land that’s:
- firm and free draining, such as farm tracks, areas of hard standing, fallow, overwintered stubble and winter bird food
Available area
Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.
Rotational or static
This action is rotational or static. This means you can either:
- move the action every year
- keep it at the same location each year
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
You may need to:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All historic and archaeological features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).
If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.
Capital grants that support it
If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for capital grants plans funding.
You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.
