What the action involves
This action’s aim is that there’s a well-established spring-sown multi-species cover crop which is present either:
- between harvesting a cash crop, until the next cash crop is established
- after a winter cover crop is destroyed or oversown, until the next cash crop is established
The purpose of this is to:
- protect the soil surface
- provide root growth that benefits soil structure
- support soil biology and minimise nutrient leaching, soil erosion and runoff
- add organic matter
What you must do
historic or archaeological features
Other actions or OFA6, OFC4 and OFM5 added to SFI 2024 actions. HS3 options you can do and OT4 added to CS options. on the same area
Advice to help you Published voluntary advice to help you do this action. It is do this action not part of this action’s requirements
How to do this action
It’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
- follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’
- do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
You may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
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 next main crop is sown, or this action’s end date, whichever is earlier.
Evidence to keep
You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
- field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices, including details of the seed mix used
- photographs and other documentation
If it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.
Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read ‘What to do’ and ‘When to do it’ to find out when this action must be done.
Scheme Action or option codes
AHW6, OFA1, OFA6, OFC3, OFC4, OFM4, OFM5, AGF1, SFI 2024 actions AGF2, PRF1, PRF2, PRF3, PRF4, SOH1, SOH3, SOH4, CAHL2, CIPM1, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM1, CSAM1, CSAM2
SFI 2023 actions AHL2, IPM1, IPM3, IPM4, NUM1, SAM1, SAM2
AB2, AB9, HS3, HS9, SW5, SW6, OP5, OR4, OP1, OR3, CS options OT3, OT4
ES options No ES revenue options
SFI pilot No area-based SFI pilot standards standards
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read section 6. ‘Eligible land in other funding schemes’ in the SFI scheme information for more details.
You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
- the introductory level of the SFI pilot hedgerows standard
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.
- SFI26 — SOH3: £163 per hectare per year, over 3 years
Where you can do it
You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
- an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information)
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Eligible land
Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code
Arable land used to Land use codes for arable grow crops, excluding Arable land crops or leguminous and temporary grassland nitrogen-fixing crops
Arable land lying fallow Arable land FA01
Permanent horticultural Permanent crops TC01 crops
Protected land
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must get SSSI consent before you do this action (read section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this).
Historic and archaeological features: Eligible – you must get a SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.6 'Land with historic or archaeological features' in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this).
Available area
Total or part of the available area in a land parcel.
Rotational or static
This action is rotational or static. This means you can either:
- move its location for the second and third years of this action’s duration
- do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration