Defra’s ministers have said they don’t want to overturn the applecart and are fully committed to environmental land management schemes (ELM). The first expanded offer agreements started on 1 August 2024 and landowners are being asked to apply in a in a controlled way, so everyone gets the right level of service and support.
As with the previous SFI, the scheme has a three year term, monthly rolling start dates and a quarterly payment schedule. There are now 102 actions aimed at supporting more sustainable food production. Along with traditional options such as buffer strips, herbal lays, clover swards and winter bird cover there are some actions for agro-forestry, precisions farming, moorland, pond management and native breeds. Land on short term contracts can be entered into the scheme and actions can be added to each year. In addition to action payments you also receive a management payment of £40/ha in the first year and £20 per ha in years 2 and 3 (up to 50 ha).
The full list of available actions can be found below. The new guidance and action requirements can be found here Find funding for land or farms – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you are interested in applying, please let us know and we will register your interest.
| Code | Units | Payment £ | SFI Option |
| WBD2 | 100 m | 4.00 | Manage ditches |
| WBD1 | 1 Pond | 257.00 | Manage ponds |
| AGF1 | HA | 248.00 | Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land |
| AGF2 | HA | 385.00 | Maintain low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land |
| CHRW1 | 100 m | 5.00 | Assess and record hedgerow condition |
| CHRW2 | 100 m | 13.00 | Manage hedgerows |
| CHRW3 | 100 m | 10.00 | Maintain or establish hedgerow trees |
| BND1 | 100 m | 27.00 | Maintain dry stone walls |
| BND2 | 100 m | 11.00 | Maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks |
| CAHL4 | HA | 515.00 | 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land |
| CIGL3 | HA | 235.00 | 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland |
| BFS1 | HA | 707.00 | 12m to 24m watercourse buffer strip on cultivated land |
| BFS2 | HA | 681.00 | Buffer in-field ponds on arable land |
| BFS3 | HA | 311.00 | Buffer in-field ponds on improved grassland |
| BFS4 | HA | 553.00 | Protect in-field trees on arable land |
| BFS5 | HA | 295.00 | Protect in-field trees on intensive grassland |
| BFS6 | HA | 742.00 | 6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses |
| CAHL1 | HA | 739.00 | Pollen and nectar flower mix |
| CAHL2 | HA | 853.00 | Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land |
| CAHL3 | HA | 590.00 | Grassy field corners or blocks |
| AHW1 | HA | 747.00 | Bumblebird mix |
| AHW2 | tonne | 732.00 | Supplementary winter bird food |
| AHW3 | HA | 764.00 | Beetle banks |
| AHW4 | plot | 11.00 | Skylark plots |
| AHW5 | HA | 765.00 | Nesting plots for lapwing |
| AHW6 | HA | 58.00 | Basic overwinter stubble |
| AHW7 | HA | 589.00 | Enhanced overwinter stubble |
| AHW8 | HA | 596.00 | Whole crop spring cereals and overwinter stubble |
| AHW9 | HA | 1,072.00 | Unharvested cereal headland |
| AHW10 | HA | 354.00 | Low input harvested cereal crop |
| AHW11 | HA | 660.00 | Cultivated areas for arable plants |
| AHW12 | HA | 428.00 | Manage woodland edges on arable land |
| CIGL1 | HA | 333.00 | Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management |
| CIGL2 | HA | 515.00 | Winter bird food on improved grassland |
| CLIG3 | HA | 151.00 | Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs |
| GRH1 | HA | 121.00 | Manage rough grazing for birds |
| GRH7 | HA | 157.00 | Haymaking supplement |
| GRH8 | HA | 187.00 | Haymaking supplement (late cut) |
| GRH10 | HA | 28.00 | Lenient grazing supplement |
| GRH11 | HA | 59.00 | Cattle grazing supplement (non-moorland) |
| SCR1 | HA | 588.00 | Create scrub and open habitat mosaics |
| SCR2 | HA | 350.00 | Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics |
| HEF1 | m2 | 5.00 | Maintain weatherproof traditional farm or forestry buildings |
| HEF2 | m2 | 8.00 | Maintain weatherproof traditional farm or forestry buildings in remote areas |
| HEF5 | HA | 215.00 | Control scrub on historic and archaeological features |
| HEF6 | HA | 55.00 | Manage historic and archaeological features on grassland |
| HEF8 | HA | 2,512.00 | Maintain designed or engineered waterbodies |
| CIPM1 | Per Agreement | 1,129.00 | Assess integrated pest management and produce a plan |
| CIPM2 | HA | 798.00 | Flower-rich grass margins, blocks or in-field strips |
| CIPM3 | HA | 55.00 | Companion crop on arable and horticultural land |
| CIPM4 | HA | 45.00 | No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops |
| CMOR1 | HA | 10.60 | Assess moorland and produce a written record |
| CMOR1 | Per Agreement | 272.00 | Assess moorland and produce a written record |
| UPL1 | HA | 20.00 | Moderate livestock grazing on moorland |
| UPL2 | HA | 53.00 | Low livestock grazing on moorland |
| UPL3 | HA | 66.00 | Limited livestock grazing on moorland |
| UPL4 | HA | 7.00 | Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 30% GLU) |
| UPL5 | HA | 18.00 | Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 70% GLU) |
| UPL6 | HA | 23.00 | Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (100% GLU) |
| UPL7 | HA | 33.00 | Shepherding livestock on moorland (no required stock removal period) |
| UPL8 | HA | 43.00 | Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 4 months) |
| UPL9 | HA | 45.00 | Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 6 months) |
| UPL10 | HA | 48.00 | Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months) |
| CNUM1 | Per Agreement | 652.00 | Assess nutrient management and produce a review report |
| CNUM2 | HA | 102.00 | Legumes on improved grassland |
| CNUM3 | HA | 593.00 | Legume fallow |
| OFC1 | HA | 187.00 | Organic conversion – improved permanent grassland |
| OFC2 | HA | 96.00 | Organic conversion – unimproved permanent grassland |
| OFC3 | HA | 298.00 | Organic conversion – rotational land |
| OFC4 | HA | 874.00 | Organic conversion – horticultural land |
| OFC5 | HA | 1,920.00 | Organic conversion – top fruit |
| OFM1 | HA | 20.00 | Organic land management – improved permanent grassland |
| OFM2 | HA | 41.00 | Organic land management – unimproved permanent grassland |
| OFM3 | HA | 97.00 | Organic land management – enclosed rough grazing |
| OFM4 | HA | 132.00 | Organic land management – rotational land |
| OFM5 | HA | 707.00 | Organic land management – horticultural land |
| OFM6 | HA | 1,920.00 | Organic land management – top fruit |
| OFA1 | HA | 264.00 | Overwinter stubble (organic land) |
| OFA6 | HA | 380.00 | Undersown cereal crop (organic land) |
| OFA3 | tonne | 935.00 | Supplementary winter bird food (organic land) |
| PRF1 | HA | 27.00 | Variable rate application of nutrients |
| PRF2 | HA | 43.00 | Camera or remote sensor guided herbicide spraying |
| PRF3 | HA | 101.00 | Non-mechanical robotic weeding |
| PRF4 | HA | 150.00 | Mechanical robotic weeding |
| SPM2 | HA | 92.00 | Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (50-80%) |
| SPM3 | HA | 146.00 | Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%) |
| SPM4 | HA | 7.00 | Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%) |
| SPM5 | HA | 11.00 | Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%) |
| CSAM1 | HA | 6.00 | Assess soil, produce a soil management plan and test soil organic matter |
| CSAM2 | HA | 129.00 | Multi-species winter cover crop |
| CSAM3 | HA | 382.00 | Herbal leys |
| SOH1 | HA | 73.00 | No-till farming |
| SOH2 | HA | 163.00 | Multi-species spring-sown cover crop |
| SOH3 | HA | 163.00 | Multi-species summer-sown cover crop |
| SOH4 | HA | 203.00 | Winter cover following maize crops |
| WBD3 | HA | 765.00 | In-field grass strips |
| WBD4 | HA | 489.00 | Arable reversion to grassland with low fertiliser input |
| WBD5 | HA | 311.00 | Manage intensive grassland adjacent to a watercourse |
| WBD6 | HA | 115.00 | Remove livestock from intensive grassland during the autumn and winter (outside SDAs) |
| WBD7 | HA | 115.00 | Remove livestock from grassland during the autumn and winter (SDAs) |
| WBD8 | HA | 396.00 | Manage grassland to reduce nutrient levels in groundwater |
| WBD9 | HA | 156.00 | Nil fertiliser supplement |
Expanded Sustainable Farm Incentive Offer 2024