Haymaking supplement (updated for SFI26)

What you must do

You must not graze or cut the sward for a continuous period of at least 8 weeks during the spring and summer months before you harvest the hay crop. This is to allow the sward to develop flowering grasses and wildflowers. The minimum 8-week period required by this supplemental action replaces the minimum 7-week period in base action CLIG3. This applies to the area of land entered into this supplemental action. You must allow the flowers and grasses to set seed. This will usually mean you must harvest the hay crop no earlier than: late June on land outside the severely disadvantaged areas (SDAs) mid-July on land in an SDA, where grass grows more slowly When you harvest the hay crop, you must: in each land parcel, leave an uncut margin around at least half of the edge of the area entered into this action to provide shelter for invertebrates and small mammals leave the cut hay crop to field dry, turning it at least once remove the hay crop once it is field dry – it can be unwrapped or wrapped After you’ve removed the hay crop, you must manage the sward in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve the relevant base action’s aim. This will usually be by aftermath grazing or taking a second cut.

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

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 a grazing activity record if livestock are grazed on the area photographs and other documentation to show management undertaken 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