Rural Payments Agency
This section contains the mandatory requirements for the SFI actions for soils. These requirements are part of your SFI agreement.
You can choose which SFI actions to do and what area of eligible land to do them on. There are no mandatory combinations of actions, and no minimum or maximum areas.
What we explain in each SFI action
The details of each SFI action explain:
- the actions aim
- where you can do the action - this includes what land is eligible, whether its a rotational or static action, and which other environmental land management actions or options you can do on the same area within a land parcel (noting that it may also be possible to do part-parcel actions on another area within the same land parcel)
- what you need to do for the action
- when to do the action
- how to do the action which is up to you, as long as its done in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve the actions aim
- what evidence to keep
Rotational SFI actions
If you choose a rotational SFI action, youll tell us the area and location of that action for the first year of your SFI agreement in your application.
It will be possible for you to vary the coverage of rotational actions, so they work with your crop rotation and different sizes of land parcels. This means that in the second and third years of your agreement, youll be able to do the action on:
- a larger area than you entered into the action for the first year of your SFI agreement
- a lower area, as long as its at least 50% of the area you entered into the action for the first year of your agreement for example, if you enter 10ha into a rotational action for the first year, you can decrease that area to 5ha for the second year and then either keep it as 5ha for the third year or increase it again.
Well let you know how to tell us about a change to the area and location of rotational actions for the second and third agreement years.
Overview of the SFI actions for soils
The SFI actions for soils are focused on improving soil health, structure, organic matter and biology. They include:
- SAM1: Assess soil, produce a soil management plan and test soil organic matter
- SAM2: Multi-species winter cover crops
- SAM3: Herbal leys
These actions can help with the long-term productivity and resilience of the soil to benefit food production. They can also provide environmental benefits, such as better water quality, improved climate resilience and increased biodiversity.
SAM1: Assess soil, produce a soil management plan and test soil organic matter
How much youll be paid
Youll receive 6 per hectare (ha) and 97 per SFI agreement per year.
This actions aim
This actions aim is that you:
- understand the condition of your soil
- effectively plan how to increase the long-term health, productivity and resilience of your soil
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on eligible agricultural land located below the moorland line. The table below sets out what land is eligible for SAM1.
For land above the moorland line, you can do MOR1 to complete a survey to identify, assess and record the soil, vegetation, and historic and archaeological features.
Eligible land for SAM1
| Eligible land type | Eligible land use code | Compatible land cover |
|---|---|---|
| Arable land, including temporary grassland | Arable crops, Leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops, FA01 and TG01 | Arable land |
| Permanent crops horticultural and non-horticultural | Permanent crops | Permanent crops |
| Permanent grassland improved and low input | PG01 | Permanent grassland |
The glossary explains what we mean by land types, land use codes and compatible land covers.
The SFI application service will automatically calculate what area may be eligible for this action in each land parcel. This is called the SFI available area. You must check this area is an eligible land type. Find out how the SFI available area is calculated in the information on land thats eligible for the SFI actions.
You can only apply for this action on the total SFI available area in each land parcel shown in your SFI application. You cannot apply for it on part of that area.
This action is static. You must do it on the same area of eligible land each year of your 3-year SFI agreement.
Other land management actions or options you can do on the same area as SAM1
The table below sets out which other SFI actions, Countryside Stewardship (CS) management options, Environmental Stewardship (ES) revenue options and SFI pilot standards can be located on the same eligible area within a land parcel as SAM1.
Actions or options that can be located on the same area within a land parcel as SAM1
| Scheme | Action or option codes that can be located on the same area as SAM1 |
|---|---|
| SFI 2023 | All SFI actions, except MOR1 |
| CS | Arable CS options: AB1, AB2, AB3, AB4, AB5, AB6, AB7, AB8, AB9, AB10, AB11, AB12, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16 |
| CS | In-field tree CS options: BE1, BE2 |
| CS | Traditional orchard CS options: BE4, BE5 |
| CS | Grassland CS options: GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4, GS5, GS6, GS7, GS8, GS9, GS10, GS11, GS12, GS13, GS14 |
| CS | Historic environment CS options: HS3, HS4, HS7, HS9 |
| CS | Lowland heathland CS options: CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, CT7, LH1, LH2, LH3, WT6, WT7, WT8, WT9, WT10 |
| CS | Organic CS options: OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4, OP5, OR1, OR2, OR3, OR4, OR5, OT1, OT2, OT3, OT4, OT5 |
| CS | Water quality CS options: SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9, SW10, SW12, SW13, SW15, SW16, SW17, SW18, WT1, WT2 |
| CS | Uplands CS options: UP2 (if located below the moorland line) |
| ES | All ES revenue options |