Legume fallow (updated for SFI26)

What you must do

You must establish a legume fallow on land entered into this action. You must use a seed mix which contains at least 6 flowering species, including legumes. The seed mix can contain legumes such as: alsike clover bird’s foot trefoil black medick common vetch lucerne The seed mix can also include: non-legume flower species grasses, such as cocksfoot or timothy, which can help to control blackgrass You must avoid growing deep rooted legumes, such as lucerne, on any area in a land parcel that contains historic or archaeological features. These are identified in your SFI HEFER. Once the legume fallow is established (usually from the second spring after sowing), you must maintain it. To do this, you must manage it in a way, and for a period of time, that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. You must not do the following on the established legume fallow: graze it with livestock – if you want to do this you may want to consider action CSAM3 (herbal leys) instead which allows grazing activity use the area for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery) cut it, except to prevent blackgrass from setting seed or to control other annual grass weeds apply any fertilisers and manures apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken You can maintain an existing legume fallow to get paid for this action if it: meets this action’s requirements is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as CS option AB15 (two year sown legume fallow)

When to do it

You must: establish the legume fallow by the autumn, within 12 months of this action’s start date maintain the legume fallow at the same location for a period of time that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim – this will usually be until the end of the second summer after sowing re-establish the legume fallow by the following autumn (either at the same location or a different location) and maintain it until this action’s end date If you want to establish a legume fallow in the spring and remove it in the summer during the same year, you should apply for the summer-sown cover crops action (SOH3).

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as: field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices, including details of the seed mix used photographs or other documentation If it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.

SFI26 actions v2.0, updated 7 July 2026 — verified 1 Aug 2026. Open official guidance