CNUM2: Legumes on improved grassland

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™ll be paid

£102 per hectare (ha) per year

Action바카라 사이트™s aim

This action바카라 사이트™s aim is that there are legumes growing from spring until early autumn.

The purpose of this is to:

  • manage nutrient efficiency
  • protect the soil surface
  • provide root growth that maintains soil structure, supports soil biology, and minimise nutrient leaching, soil erosion and runoff
  • support an integrated pest management approach if located close to cropped areas

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that바카라 사이트™s:

Eligible land

Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code
Temporary grassland Arable land TG01
Improved permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01

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 10.3 바카라 사이트˜SSSI ³¦´Ç²Ô²õ±ð²Ô³Ù바카라 사이트™ in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this)
Historic and archaeological features  Ineligible 바카라 사이트“ you must not enter any area with an historic or archaeological feature into this action. This only affects the area where the feature is located in a land parcel. You can apply for this action on the remaining area in the land parcel if it바카라 사이트™s eligible.

Available area you can enter into this action

Total or 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™s duration
  • do it at the same location each year of this action바카라 사이트™s duration

What to do

You must establish and maintain legumes on improved grassland entered into this action.

You can use one or more type of legume, such as:

  • red clover
  • white clover
  • alsike clover
  • sainfoin
  • lucerne
  • bird바카라 사이트™s foot trefoil

You can establish the legumes by:

  • adding them to an existing grass sward
  • sowing a mix of grass and legumes

Once established, you must maintain the legumes. To do this, you must manage them in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트™s aim.

You can maintain existing areas of legumes on improved grassland to get paid this action if they:

  • meet this action바카라 사이트™s requirements
  • are not already being for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as (Countryside Stewardship (CS) option GS4 (legume and herb-rich swards)

When to do it

If you바카라 사이트™re doing this action on the same area of land for this action바카라 사이트™s 3-year duration, you must:

  • establish the legumes within 12 months of this action바카라 사이트™s start date
  • maintain the area of legumes in each subsequent year of this action바카라 사이트™s duration

If you바카라 사이트™re rotating this action around your farm, each year of your SFI agreement you must do it for a period of time that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트™s aim.

How to do it

It바카라 사이트™s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:

  • follow this action바카라 사이트™s requirements 바카라 사이트“ these are identified by a 바카라 사이트˜must바카라 사이트™
  • do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트™s aim

You may find it helpful to read the 바카라 사이트˜advice to help you do this action바카라 사이트™, but it바카라 사이트™s not part of this action바카라 사이트™s requirements.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you바카라 사이트™ve done to complete this action, such as:

  • field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
  • photographs or other documentation

If it바카라 사이트™s not clear that you바카라 사이트™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 with 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™re done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read 바카라 사이트˜What to do바카라 사이트™ and 바카라 사이트˜When to do it바카라 사이트™ to find out when this action must be done.

Scheme Action or option codes
SFI 2024 actions OFC1, OFC3, OFM1, OFM4, AGF1, AGF2, PRF1, PRF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1
SFI 2023 actions IPM1, NUM1, SAM1
CS options OR1, OR3, OT1, OT3
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˜Eligible 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™s not part of this action바카라 사이트™s requirements.

Choosing a seed mix

Sainfoin, lucerne and alsike clover are more suited to grassland that you cut.

Your seed supplier can help you choose a seed mix that바카라 사이트™s the best match for your land and local conditions.

Where to sow the seed mix

When you establish the legumes, 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.

It can help to sow the seed mix where you want to reduce fertiliser use.

To help you plan where and how to do this action, you may find it helpful to do CNUM1 (assess nutrient management and produce a review report).

Nitrogen fixation from the legumes will reduce if the soil phosphate and pH are not at optimal levels.

Spreading the legume areas across the farm can help to provide a network of habitats for farmland wildlife.

How and when to sow the seed mix

Your seed supplier can advise you on an overall sowing rate for the seed mix you choose.

You can sow the seed mix shallowly into a firm seedbed or overseed into an established grass sward.

Sowing the seed mix in March or April can help germination.

Alternatively, you can sow after a silage cut, as the grassland is likely to be more open. You may get better results after the second silage cut (or late hay cut), as the regrowth is less vigorous.

Legumes sowed after August may not establish before the winter.

During establishment of the legumes

It바카라 사이트™s advisable to keep livestock off the areas of legumes while the seedlings establish. This will prevent new grasses or legumes being grazed out.

Maintaining established legumes

Once the legumes are established, you can cut them or graze them with livestock providing you do it in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트™s aim. This will help to reduce competition from existing plants.

You may find it helpful to read . This includes guidance on how you could manage the legume areas under 바카라 사이트˜ongoing management바카라 사이트™.

Updates to this page

Published 21 May 2024
Last updated 27 March 2025 show all updates
  1. 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.

  2. Where you can do this action - an eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 바카라 사이트˜Eligible land types for SFI바카라 사이트™ in the SFI scheme information. Eligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 바카라 사이트˜SSSI ³¦´Ç²Ô²õ±ð²Ô³Ù바카라 사이트™ in the SFI scheme information. You can apply for this action on the area in a land parcel that does not contain an historic or archaeological feature. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action바카라 사이트™s requirements.

  3. First published.