AHW11: Cultivated areas for arable plants
What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.
This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.
Duration
3 years
How much you바카라 사이트檒l be paid
拢660 per hectare (ha) per year
Action바카라 사이트檚 aim
This action바카라 사이트檚 aim is that there are fallow cultivated margins or plots with:
- a fine surface suitable for wild arable plants to establish from the soil seed bank when they바카라 사이트檙e cultivated in the spring or autumn
- natural vegetative cover throughout the growing season until the end of the summer
The purpose of this is to:
- allow scarce and declining wild arable plants to increase their populations over time
- provide areas of less densely vegetated ground for insects, such as bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies
- provide summer foraging habitats for farmland birds, such as grey partridge and turtle dove
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that바카라 사이트檚:
- an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 바카라 사이트楨ligible land types for SFI바카라 사이트� 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
This is a 바카라 사이트榣imited area바카라 사이트� action. The total eligible area you enter into any combination of one or more of the 바카라 사이트榣imited area바카라 사이트� actions must not be more than 25% of the total agricultural area of your farm. Read section 1.3 바카라 사이트�SFI actions with a limited area바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information for more details (including a list of the 바카라 사이트榣imited area바카라 사이트� actions).
Eligible land
| Eligible land type | Eligible land cover | Compatible land use code |
|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | Arable land | Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops |
| Temporary grassland | Arable land | TG01 |
| Arable land lying fallow | Arable land | FA01 |
Eligibility of protected land
| Protected land | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) | Eligible 바카라 사이트� you must get SSSI consent before you do this action (read section 10.3바카라 사이트�바카라 사이트�SSSI 肠辞苍蝉别苍迟바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this) |
| Historic and archaeological features | Eligible 바카라 사이트� you must get a SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.6바카라 사이트�바카라 사이트楲and with historic or archaeological features바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this) |
Available area you can enter into this action
Part of the available area in a land parcel.
Rotational or static action
This action is rotational or static. This means you can either:
- move its location for the second and third years of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration
- do it at the same location each year of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration
What to do
You must create a fallow margin or plot by cultivating it in the spring or autumn in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim.
You must manage the fallow cultivated margin or plot in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim.
You must not do the following on the fallow cultivated margin or plot:
- disturb it before the end of the summer months (usually around the end of August)
- use it as regular access tracks for vehicles
- apply any fertilisers, manures or lime
- apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, or nettles
You can use an existing cultivated fallow margin or plot to get paid for this action if it:
- meets this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements
- is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme action or option, such as Countryside Stewardship (CS) option AB11 (cultivated areas for arable plants)
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
If this action바카라 사이트檚 start date means it바카라 사이트檚 too late for you to create the fallow margin or plot, you must create it within 12 months of its start date.
In the final year of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration, you must do the action until the end of the summer months or this action바카라 사이트檚 end date, whichever is earlier.
How to do it
It바카라 사이트檚 up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
- follow this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements 바카라 사이트� these are identified by a 바카라 사이트榤ust바카라 사이트�
- do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim
You may find it helpful to read the 바카라 사이트榓dvice to help you do this action바카라 사이트�, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
Evidence to keep
You must keep evidence to show what you바카라 사이트檝e done to complete this action, such as:
- field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
- photographs or other documentation
If it바카라 사이트檚 not clear that you바카라 사이트檝e 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 they바카라 사이트檙e done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read 바카라 사이트榃hat to do바카라 사이트� and 바카라 사이트榃hen to do it바카라 사이트� to find out when this action must be done.
| Scheme | Action or option codes |
|---|---|
| SFI 2024 actions | AHW6, OFC3, OFC4, OFM4, OFM5, AGF1, AGF2, PRF1, PRF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, CSAM2 |
| SFI 2023 actions | IPM1, NUM1, SAM1, SAM2 |
| CS options | AB2, AB9, HS3, HS9, SW5, SW6, OR3, OR4, OT3, OT4 |
| ES options | No ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot standards | No area-based SFI pilot 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 바카라 사이트楨ligible land in other funding schemes바카라 사이트� 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
Advice to help you do this action
The following advice may help you to do this action, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
Choosing the right location
When you establish the fallow cultivated margin or plot, by law you cannot cultivate or apply fertilisers or pesticides to land within 2m of the centre of a hedgerow. Read the guidance on Hedgerow management rules; buffer strips to understand how these rules apply to you.
It바카라 사이트檚 usually best to locate cultivated areas for arable plants along south-facing headlands. This will help to:
- allow more desirable arable plants to germinate, flower and set seed
- provide better foraging for insects, such as wild pollinators
Wild arable plants are more likely to establish on cultivated areas which are:
- around the edges of fields
- next to old farm tracks
- adjacent to boundary features, such as hedgerows
Using a cultivated margin or plot that바카라 사이트檚 up to around 6 metres (m) wide will usually work well for this action.
You could also consider using fields with a long history of cultivation, with old grass margins that were previously arable.
Some of the more common species of arable plants are good 바카라 사이트榠ndicator바카라 사이트� species. They indicate the potential of an area to hold rich arable flora in the soil seed bank.
Controlling weeds on your margins or plots
To help control and prevent a build-up of undesirable weeds, you can:
- rotate the cultivated margins or plots around your farm
- vary cultivation timing and depth 바카라 사이트� this can also provide suitable conditions for germinating arable plants in the spring and autumn
To prevent seeding of undesirable weeds (such as wild oats and creeping thistle), you can top at a height of around 30 centimetres (cm). It바카라 사이트檚 best to do this during the growing season, as many of the desirable arable plant species are shorter than this.
To control weeds such as black-grass, brome, couch, common ragwort and thistles, you can:
- use targeted application equipment (such as a knapsack, hand-lance or weed wiper) to apply herbicide by weed wiping or spot treating herbicide during the spring and summer
- cultivate the land before you establish the cultivated area in the spring or autumn
- carry out a broadacre application of non-selective herbicide before you establish the cultivated area in the spring or autumn
If grass weeds become a problem, you can create a stale autumn seedbed and cultivate it in mid-March to help control them. It바카라 사이트檚 advisable to not do this more frequently that once every 3 years. This is particularly relevant on heavy clay sites. Ploughing can also be useful for controlling grass weeds.
Updates to this page
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Added detail to explain how Hedgerow Regulations may affect how a farmer does an action, and signpost to detailed guidance on the Management of Hedgerows Regulations.
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Action바카라 사이트檚 aim - added 바카라 사이트榳hen they바카라 사이트檙e cultivated in the spring or autumn바카라 사이트�. Where you can do this action - an eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 바카라 사이트楨ligible land types for SFI바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information. Eligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 바카라 사이트楽SSI 肠辞苍蝉别苍迟바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
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First published.