SUSTAINABLE FARMING INCENTIVE – PILOT STARTING 2021 – IMPROVED GRASSLAND SOILS STANDARD

AIM 1: SOIL ASSESSMENT AT THE START
Introductory Level (£26 per hectare) Intermediate Level (£44 per hectare) – All actions in Introductory level plus Advanced Level (£70 per hectare) – All actions in Introductory and Intermediate levels plus

1. Carrying out a soil assessment.

First year, across all land, assess: 

  • soil texture 
  • drainage slope 
  • connectivity to a waterbody or sensitive habitat 
  • Record and keep observations, and review the assessment every 2 years. 

Every year, on at least 20% of the land:  

  • assess soil structure 
  • assess biological indicators, for example earthworm count 
  • analyse soil organic matter 

Advice: 

1. Same as Introductory level

 

1.  Same as Introductory level

2. Create a soil management plan

Produce this in the first year of your agreement to identify and action priorities to improve soil structure, soil carbon storage and soil biology and avoid and alleviate soil compaction. This should build on the soil assessments and include soil respiration or microorganism assessments. 

  • You must review the plan every 2 years.  

Advice: 

 

AIM 2: IMPROVE SOIL STRUCTURE BY ALLEVIATING COMPACTION
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 

1. Take measures to alleviate soil compaction identified in the soil assessment.

Measures include: 

  • grassland aeration 
  • sub-soiling 
  • additions of organic matter 
  • natural soil recovery through resting the field.

1. Same as Introductory level

Advice: 

 1. Take measures to alleviate soil compaction identified in the soil assessment and soil management plan.

 

AIM 3: ADD OR RETAIN A MIX OF LEGUMES, HERBS AND GRASSES
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 
1. Increase or maintain the diversity of improved grass swards by adding or retaining a mixture of legumes, herbs and grasses with varied root structures on: 

  • at least 5% improved grassland  

Advice:  

 1. Increase or maintain the diversity of improved grass swards by adding or retaining a mixture of legumes, herbs and grasses with varied root structures on:

  • at least 10% improved grassland
 1. Increase or maintain the diversity of improved grass swards by adding or retaining a mixture of legumes, herbs and grasses with varied root structures on:

  • at least 15% improved grassland

 

 

AIM 4: MAINTAIN PERMANENT GRASSLAND ON LAND AT RISK OF EROSION OR SURFACE RUN-OFF
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 
1. Maintain as permanent grassland and only re-seed by direct drilling or over-sowing on:

  • at least 5% of improved permanent grassland. This should be targeted at land at the highest risk of erosion or surface runoff identified in the soil assessment  

Advice: 

 1. Maintain as permanent grassland and only re-seed by direct drilling or over-sowing on:

  • at least 10% of improved permanent grassland. This should be targeted at land at risk of erosion or surface runoff identified in the soil assessment. 
 1. Maintain as permanent grassland and only re-seed by direct drilling or over-sowing on:

  • at least 15% of improved permanent grassland. This should be targeted at land at risk of erosion or surface runoff identified in the soil assessment. 

 

AIM 5: MANAGE STOCKING DENSITY ON GRASSLAND AT RISK OF EROSION OR SURFACE RUN-OFF
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 
1. Reduce stocking density or remove livestock when soils are wet on:

  • at least 5% improved grassland. This should be targeted at land at the highest risk of erosion or surface runoff identified in the soil assessment. 

Advice: 

 1. Reduce stocking density or remove livestock when soils are wet on:

  • at least 10% improved grassland. This should be targeted at land at the highest risk of erosion or surface runoff identified in the soil assessment.
 1. Reduce stocking density or remove livestock when soils are wet on:

  • at least 15% improved grassland. This should be targeted at land at the highest risk of erosion or surface runoff identified in the soil assessment.

 

Eligible land: 

To qualify as improved grassland, the sward composition should include at least 2 of the following: 

  • more than 30% cover of rye-grasses and white clover 
  • up to 8 species per m2, including grasses 
  • less than 10% cover of wildflowers and sedges, excluding white clover, creeping buttercup, docks, thistles and ragwort 

Management of the land is likely to include: 

  • regular re-seeding, or has been reseeded within the last 15 years. 
  • regular fertilising with typically at least 100 kg per ha of nitrogen as compound fertiliser or animal manures and slurries 
  • boom spraying herbicide to treat weeds. 
  • active, well-maintained field drains 
  • taking any conserved forage as silage, usually more than once a year. 

Grassland defined as improved grassland encompasses a wide range of farm and land types, including organic systems. 

Ineligible land 

The following land is ineligible for this standard: 

  • sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) 
  • areas of peat soils greater than 20% soil organic matter to a depth of 40cm or more 

Funding for Capital Items 

You may also be able to apply for funding from other programmes to buy equipment and machinery for:   

  • low ground pressure tyres  
  • reducing the weight of field machinery  
  • direct drilling into crop stubble or cover crops  
  • minimum-tillage or no-tillage cultivation  
  • controlled traffic farming (CTF) (Tier 1)  

Additional standards you can apply to this land. 

Land parcels you use for this standard can also be used for the: 

 

These notes, prepared on the 09.07.2021, are only to be used as a part of a wider discussion/decision-making process undertaken with Townsend Chartered Surveyors also giving accompanying advice. TCS cannot be held responsible for their use other than in this context or for any resulting misunderstanding or damages. As a pilot the payment values and actions required may be subject to change as Defra develops the scheme.