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This section contains the mandatory requirements for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) actions for nutrient management (NM). 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 10 hectares (ha) 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 nutrient management

The SFI actions for nutrient management are focused on:

• increasing nutrient management knowledge
• supporting more efficient use of nutrients
• encouraging more effective use of organic sources of crop nutrition

They include:

• NUM1: Assess nutrient management and produce a review report
• NUM2: Legumes on improved grassland
• NUM3: Legume fallow

These actions should help to optimise use of nutrients and manage them more efficiently, reducing costs and waste and helping to improve farm productivity and resilience. They should also provide a range of environmental benefits, including:

• improved water and air quality
• increased biodiversity
• reduced emissions (through reduced use of inorganic fertilisers)

NUM1: Assess nutrient management and produce a review report

How much youll be paid

Youll receive 652 for the assessment and review report per year.

This actions aim

This actions aim is that you assess your current approach to nutrient usage and effectively plan how to:

• manage your nutrient usage more efficiently and effectively
• optimise your use of organic sources of crop nutrition

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on all agricultural land located below the moorland line.

NUM1 is an agreement level SFI action. This means you do not enter specific areas of land into this action in your SFI application. The assessment and nutrient management review report should cover all of the relevant areas of your farm.

Once youve included this action in an SFI agreement, you cannot apply for it again until that 3-year agreement ends. You cannot apply for it in multiple SFI agreements.

To apply for this action, at least one land parcel needs to be linked to your SBI, so it shows on your digital maps in the Rural Payments service.

Other land management actions or options you can do with NUM1

The table below sets out which other SFI actions, CS management options, ES revenue options and SFI pilot standards you can do with NUM1. This is only possible if the requirements explained under Where you can do this action above are met.

Actions or options that can be done with NUM1

What to do

You must arrange for a member of the BASIS Professional Register whos qualified under the Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme (a FACTS qualified adviser) to visit your farm to:

• assess your current nutrient use and needs for your farm

• identify and discuss opportunities to increase efficiency of your nutrient usage, and maximise the use of natural sources of crop nutrients on that land

• help you produce a written nutrient management (NM) review report

You must make sure that the FACTS qualified adviser does whats required above.

If youre a FACTS qualified adviser, as defined above, you can complete this action yourself.

If you already have a written NM review report, informed by an NM assessment, carried out by a FACTS qualified adviser, you can use it to meet this action if it was written within the last 12 months.

If you need to take soil samples on areas within a land parcel containing historic or archaeological features, including scheduled monuments, you must:

• request an SFI Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (SFI HEFER), as explained in the information about historic and archaeological features (section 4.3.2)
• meet the requirements for taking soil samples on these areas, as explained in the information about completing SFI actions on land containing historic and archaeological features (section 4.3.2)

When to do it

You must make sure that a FACTS qualified adviser visits your farm to:

• complete the NM assessment and help you produce a written NM review report within the first 12 months of your SFI agreement
• reassess your nutrient use and needs for your land and review your NM review report in each subsequent year of your SFI agreement

How to do it

Its up to you how you complete this action, as long as you do it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this actions aim.

You may find it helpful to read the voluntary guidance on how to complete a nutrient management assessment and produce a review report, but you do not have to follow it.

What evidence to keep

You must keep:

• a written record of your NM review report, including the NM assessment
• evidence that the adviser is a FACTS qualified adviser, such as their name and BASIS or FACTS registration number.

You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.

NUM2: Legumes on improved grassland

What youll be paid

Youll receive 102 per hectare per year.

This actions aim

This actions aim is that there are legumes growing from spring until early autumn.

The purpose of this is to:

• manage nutri
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