Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) – the long awaited detail
For sometime now we have known that further SFI ‘standards’ would be released in 2023. The handbook to accompany these ‘standards’ has now been released albeit they are no longer referred to as ‘standards’ but ‘actions’!
There are 23 actions available, all set out in detail in the handbook. The actions include:
- soil health
- hedgerows
- integrated pest management
- nutrient management
- farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land, and improved grassland
- buffer strips
- low input grassland.
Many clients have been waiting for this detail to be released to decide which is best for their farm – Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship, or a combination of the two. An informed decision can now be made so please get in touch with our Rural Professionals if you would like to discuss your specific circumstances.
The following tables provide a summary of all SFI actions:
| Code | SFI action | Annual payment |
| Actions for soils | ||
| SAM1 | Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a soil management plan | £5.80 per hectare and an additional payment of £95 per agreement |
| SAM2 | Multi-species winter cover crops | £129 per hectare |
| SAM3 | Herbal leys | £382 per hectare |
| Actions for moorland | ||
| MOR1 | Assess moorland and produce a written record | £10.30 per hectare and an additional payment of £265 per agreement |
| Actions for hedgerows | ||
| HRW1 | Assess and record hedgerow condition | £3 per 100 metres – one side |
| HRW2 | Manage hedgerows | £10 per 100 metres – one side |
| HRW3 | Maintain or establish hedgerow trees | £10 per 100 metres – both sides |
| Actions for integrated pest management | ||
| IPM1 | Assess integrated pest management and produce a plan (this action applies to an SFI agreement, rather than a specific area of land (an ‘agreement level SFI action’) | £989 per year |
| IPM2 | Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips | £673 per hectare |
| IPM3 | Companion crop on arable and horticultural land | £55 per hectare |
| IPM4 | No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops | £45 per hectare |
| Actions for nutrient management | ||
| NUM1 | Assess nutrient management and produce a review report (agreement level SFI action) | £589 per year |
| NUM2 | Legumes on improved grassland | £102 per hectare |
| NUM3 | Legume fallow | £593 per hectare |
| Code | SFI action | Annual payment |
| Actions for farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land | ||
| AHL1 | Pollen and nectar flower mix | £614 per hectare |
| AHL2 | Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land | £732 per hectare |
| AHL3 | Grassy field corners and blocks | £590 per hectare |
| Actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland | ||
| IGL1 | Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management | £333 per hectare |
| IGL2 | Winter bird food on improved grassland | £474 per hectare |
| Actions for buffer strips | ||
| AHL4 | 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land | £451 per hectare |
| IGL3 | 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland | £235 per hectare |
| Actions for low input grassland | ||
| LIG1 | Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (outside SDAs) | £151 per hectare |
| LIG2 | Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (SDAs) | £151 per hectare |
| Additional payments | |
| Additional common land payment (*if a group of 2 or more people apply for an SFI agreement on common land) | £6.15 per hectare* |
| SFI management payment (*up to the first 50 hectares entered into the relevant SFI actions, per SBI) | £20 per hectare* |
