WBD7: Remove livestock from grassland during the autumn and winter (SDAs)

The following changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version):

• you enter the parcel's whole available area, and that area is measured as it stands when you apply
• minor updates to standard wording which appears in all area-based SFI actions

This action’s aim is that, during the autumn and winter months, there’s intensive grassland next to a watercourse, with:

• no livestock on it
• minimal waterlogging, compaction and poaching

The purpose of this is to:

• improve soil structure
• reduce surface runoff and risk of diffuse pollution to the watercourse
• help to reduce the risk of flooding

What you must do

You must remove all livestock from the land for the duration of the autumn and winter months. This will usually be from early October until mid-March.

For the purposes of this action, livestock includes cattle, sheep, goats, ponies and horses, as relevant.

You must keep a written record of grazing activity on each land parcel entered into this action to show you’ve met the livestock removal period required by this action.

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.

If this action’s start date means it’s too late for you to do this action, you must start doing it within 12 months of the action’s start date.

In the final year of this action’s duration, you must do this action until the end of the winter months, or this action’s end date, whichever is earlier.

Evidence to keep

You must keep written evidence that land entered into this action is prone to waterlogging, compaction or poaching. You can use a soil management plan you’ve already produced for SFI24 action CSAM1 or SFI23 action SAM1 to identify this.

You must also keep the required written record of grazing activity.

You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.