GRH7: Haymaking supplement
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聽
拢157 per hectare (ha) per year
Action바카라 사이트檚 aim聽
This action바카라 사이트檚 aim is that there바카라 사이트檚 a crop of field-dried hay, grown and harvested, with wildflowers and grasses allowed to flower and set seed.
The purpose of this is to:
- help to conserve plants in traditionally managed hay meadows
- provide pollen and nectar for bees and other insects
- improve water quality
- maintain traditional landscape character
Where you can do this action聽聽聽聽聽
You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land entered into the following base actions:
- CLIG3: Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (or LIG1 and LIG2 in the SFI 2023 offer)
- GRH6: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland
You cannot do this supplemental action on land that바카라 사이트檚 already entered into the following equivalent base actions in a Countryside Stewardship agreement:
- GS2 (permanent grassland with very low inputs 바카라 사이트� outside SDAs)
- GS5 (permanent grassland with very low inputs 바카라 사이트� SDAs)
Eligibility of protected land
| Protected land | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) | Same as your selected base action |
| Historic and archaeological features | Same as your selected base action |
Available area you can enter into this action
Same or less than your selected base action.
Rotational or static action聽
This action is rotational or static. This this means that after the first year of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration you can either:
- move its location around the land entered into the relevant base action for subsequent years of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration
- do it at the same location each year
What to do聽
You must not graze or cut the sward for a continuous period of at least 8 weeks during the spring and summer months before you harvest the hay crop. This is to allow the sward to develop flowering grasses and wildflowers.
The minimum 8-week period required by this supplemental action replaces the minimum 7-week period in base action CLIG3. This applies to the area of land entered into this supplemental action.
You must allow the flowers and grasses to set seed. This will usually mean you must harvest the hay crop no earlier than:
- late June on land outside the severely disadvantaged areas (SDAs)
- mid-July on land in an SDA, where grass grows more slowly
When you harvest the hay crop, you must:
- in each land parcel, leave an uncut margin around at least half of the edge of the area entered into this action to provide shelter for invertebrates and small mammals
- leave the cut hay crop to field dry, turning it at least once
- remove the hay crop once it is field dry 바카라 사이트� it can be unwrapped or wrapped
After you바카라 사이트檝e removed the hay crop, you must manage the sward in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve the relevant base action바카라 사이트檚 aim. This will usually be by aftermath grazing or taking a second cut.
When to do it聽
You must do this action each year of its duration.
How to do it聽
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聽
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
- a grazing activity record if livestock are grazed on the area
- photographs and other documentation to show management undertaken
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聽
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 actions | Same as your selected base action |
| CS options | Same as your selected base action |
| ES options | Same as your selected base action |
| SFI pilot standards | Same as your selected base action |
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.
Advice to help you do this action聽
The following advice may help you to do this action, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
How to make field-dried hay
Check your field for signs of nesting birds before you harvest the hay crop. Birds, nests and eggs are protected by law, so if you see signs of nesting birds, delay cutting until the birds fledge.
If the weather is wet, you can harvest the hay crop later.
When you leave the cut hay crop to field dry, try to let the swath wilt (which may take around 48 hours, depending on the weather) and then turn it over. This will allow some wildflower seeds to return to the meadow.
Managing hay meadows
If you manage the grassland by only cutting it, there will be a consistent sward height and structure. Grazing with cattle can help maintain a range of vegetation heights.
You can use aftermath grazing (from late summer until autumn) to add variety to the sward and improve hay meadow biodiversity. This will usually start around 6 weeks after you바카라 사이트檝e cut the hay crop, but this timing will depend on the:
- growing season
- ground conditions
You can also graze during the following spring, unless your meadow has early flowering plants (such as cowslips and bluebells).
To help prevent damage from poaching, you can remove the livestock when the:
- average sward height becomes very short (below around 5 centimetres)
- ground is too wet
Updates to this page
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Duration - 3 years instead of 바카라 사이트榮ame as base action바카라 사이트�. Where you can do this action - added LIG1, LIG2 and GRH6 as base actions. You cannot do this supplemental action on land in GS2 and GS5. Eligibility of protected land - added 바카라 사이트榶our selected바카라 사이트� in relation to the base action. Available area - added 바카라 사이트榶our selected바카라 사이트� in relation to the base action. What to do - the minimum 8-week period required by this supplemental action replaces the minimum 7-week period in base action CLIG3. This applies to the area of land entered into this supplemental action. Removed requirement to graze with livestock or take a second cut after you바카라 사이트檝e removed the hay crop. Instead, you must manage the sward in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve the relevant base action바카라 사이트檚 aim. This will usually be by aftermath grazing or taking a second cut. Other actions or options you can do on the same area - added 바카라 사이트榶our selected바카라 사이트� in relation to the base action. 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.