Enhanced overwinter stubble

Where it applies

Arable

Eligibility conditions

• Below the moorland line
• Only land that grew cereals (not maize or sorghum), oilseed rape or linseed
• Land you identify as NOT at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff — keep evidence

What you'll do

Leave the stubble from cereals (not maize or sorghum), oilseed rape or linseed standing right through to mid-summer the following year — much longer than basic stubble. Don't use a pre-harvest desiccant; don't top, graze, fertilise, manure or lime it, and only use a herbicide for grass weeds from about mid-May. This is a limited-area action — it counts toward the 25% cap.

Evidence to keep

• Written evidence the land isn't at risk of soil erosion or runoff
• A record of harvest and stubble retention through to mid-summer
• Field operation records, with invoices

When

• Sep–Jul: Leave the stubble standing from harvest through to mid-summer the following year

Combining with other actions

Actions that can be paid on the same area:

• SFI 2026: AGF1, AGF2, AHW5, CIPM4, OFC3, OFM4, PRF1, PRF2, PRF4, SOH1
• SFI 2024: AGF1, AGF2, AHW5, CIPM1, CIPM4, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC3, OFM4, PRF1, PRF2, PRF3, PRF4, SOH1
• SFI 2023: IPM1, NUM1, SAM1
• CS Higher Tier: CAB5, CAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CWS1, CWS3
• Countryside Stewardship: AB5, AB11, AB14, AB15, HS3, OR3, OT3