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How to create a Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) plan
How to create a Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) plan

Create an SFI plan for either a SFI Pilot, SFI 2022 or SFI 2023

Simla Rees-Moorlah avatar
Written by Simla Rees-Moorlah
Updated over a week ago

Which SFI Template to use?

Following Defra’s latest update on the Sustainable Farm Incentive, Land App has released a second Sustainable Farm Incentive template (SFI 2023) to allow you to easily plan and map the new Actions under the SFI scheme.

Before proceeding with this guidance, please be aware of which SFI Scheme you are mapping for, as this will affect which template you choose:

  1. SFI22: If you are involved in an SFI Pilot, or the SFI 22 you will need to use the "Sustainable Farm Incentive 2022" template.

  2. SFI23: From August 2023, if you are looking to apply for the Sustainable Farm Incentive, but are not part of a pilot, you should use the "Sustainable Farm Incentive 2023" template.

The two templates have a different list of "actions" available. To learn more, please visit the .GOV.UK Website here.

Step-by-step guide to building your SFI Plan

Firstly create a new plan by using the New, Use template,

Select the correct SFI template for your use case (see guidance above if unsure).

Select Import from Rural Payments or another import method.

Input the 9-digit SBI number, select the dataset (Land Covers and Hedges are recommended) and click on next.

Name your plan and click on finish.

Now your plan has been created you can start to assign SFI actions to each field parcel, to do so select a feature on the map or multiselect and the right hand panel will appear. To assign a use, select Change.

From the list, you can expand categories or search by action code or action name (e.g. "SAM1" or "Soil" or "Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a soil management plan"

You can add second options using the duplicate tool. Please see this guide.

To add buffers to a feature you can use our buffer tool, please see these guide.

To add capital items select your feature on the plan (this will ensure your drawn features are contained withing the correct land parcel), go to draw select the relevant draw tool such as point or line.

Add your features on the plan and then select Finish.

With your drawn feature or features selected you can assign their use from the right hand panel.

Should you need to split or merge features please see the below guidance.

Available actions under SFI 2023:

Category

Code

Action Label

Additional payments

ACL1

Additional common land payment

Actions for farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land

AHL1

Pollen and nectar flower mix

Actions for farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land

AHL2

Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land

Actions for farmland wildlife on arable and horticultural land

AHL3

Grassy field corners and blocks

Actions for buffer strips

AHL4

4m to 12m grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land

Actions for hedgerows

HRW1

Assess and record hedgerow condition

Actions for hedgerows

HRW2

Manage hedgerows

Actions for hedgerows

HRW3

Maintain or establish hedgerow trees

Actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland

IGL1

Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management

Actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland

IGL2

Winter bird food on improved grassland

Actions for farmland wildlife on improved grassland

IGL3

4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland

Actions for integrated pest management

IPM1

Assess integrated pest management and produce a plan (this action applies to an SFI agreement, rather than a specific area of land (an ‘agreement level SFI action’)

Actions for integrated pest management

IPM2

Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips

Actions for integrated pest management

IPM3

Companion crop on arable and horticultural land

Actions for integrated pest management

IPM4

No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops

Actions for low input grassland

LIG1

Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (outside SDAs)

Actions for low input grassland

LIG2

Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (SDAs)

Actions for moorland

MOR1

Assess moorland and produce a written record

Actions for nutrient management

NUM1

Assess nutrient management and produce a review report (agreement level SFI action)

Actions for nutrient management

NUM2

Legumes on improved grassland

Actions for nutrient management

NUM3

Legume fallow

Actions for soils

SAM1

Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a soil management plan

Actions for soils

SAM2

Multi-species winter cover crops

Actions for soils

SAM3

Herbal leys

Additional payments

SMP1

SFI management payment

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