Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs

Where it applies

Temporary grassland, Improved grassland, Permanent grassland

Eligibility conditions

• Below the moorland line

What you'll do

Keep nutrient inputs very low — no more than 12 tonnes/ha a year of cattle farmyard manure, or the equivalent nutrients as fertiliser or other organic manure. Don't use digestate or industrial by-products (e.g. paper waste). Graze or cut it to keep a species-rich sward; if you cut for forage, leave it ungrazed and uncut for at least 7 continuous weeks in spring/summer first, and leave an uncut margin. Don't plough, re-seed or drain it, or disturb nesting birds, and only spot-treat problem weeds.

Evidence to keep

• Input records showing manure/fertiliser stayed within the limit
• Dated management notes (grazing or cutting)
• The cutting date + the no-cut period for any forage cut

When

• Apr–Jun: If cutting for forage, leave ungrazed and uncut for ≥7 continuous weeks in spring/summer first

Supplements you can add

• GRH7 — Haymaking supplement (£157 per hectare, per year)
• GRH8 — Haymaking supplement (late cut) (£187 per hectare, per year)
• GRH10 — Lenient grazing supplement (£28 per hectare, per year)
• SPM3 — Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (>80%) (£146 per hectare, per year)

Combining with other actions

Actions that can be paid on the same area:

• SFI 2026: AGF1, AGF2, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, PRF2
• SFI 2024: AGF1, AGF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, PRF2
• SFI 2023: IPM1, NUM1, SAM1
• CS Higher Tier: CAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CPAC1, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CSW15, CSW16, CSW18, CSW20, CWS1, CWS3
• Countryside Stewardship: OR1, OR2, OT1, OT2, SW15, SW16