Low-input harvested spring cereal crops supported by the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) action AHW10 could be a good option for growers in 2025, given the payment rate of £354/ha.
Use of this action would potentially fill some of the gap left by the sudden slashing of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments announced in the Budget, which is expected to add to the cashflow difficulties on many farms.
It can also be stacked with other SFI actions, boosting farm income by complementing spring cropping, rather than taking land out of production.
Aims and benefits
The aim of AHW10, which can be used for both autumn and spring-sown cereals, is to have an open structured cereal crop growing during the spring and summer months until it is harvested, so that it encourages arable plant communities.