AHW9

Establish a reduced seed rate spring cereal crop in strips or plots, managing it until mid-February of the following year. You must not apply fertilisers, manures, lime, or insecticides after mid-March, and only specific herbicides are permitted.

This action must be performed annually for its 3-year duration. If the start date is too late for establishment, the crop must be sown within 12 months. In the final year, the action must continue until the end of winter or the action's end date, whichever comes first.

The method is flexible, provided you follow the mandatory requirements and work towards achieving the action's aim.

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
• 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.

Advice is provided on choosing spring cereal crops (including undersowing or using mixes), selecting a suitable location with low weed pressure while respecting hedgerow buffer rules, and sowing methods such as reduced seed rates and wider row spacing.