SW9: Seasonal livestock removal on intensive grassland
How much will be paid
£115 per hectare (ha)
Where to use this option
Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier Whole parcel Only on grassland that meets each of the following requirements.
- It drains directly to a watercourse
- It receives more than 100 kilograms (kg) per hectare of nitrogen per year
- It is identified on the Farm Environment Record (FER) as at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff, or has been identified as important for buffering sensitive habitats or species
Where this option cannot be used
- On parcel within a severely disadvantaged area (SDA)
Related Mid Tier options
How this option will benefit the environment
Livestock will be removed at particular times of the year from fields adjacent to a watercourse that are prone to waterlogging, compaction or poaching. This will help improve soil structure, reduce surface runoff and risk of diffuse pollution to the watercourse. Reducing surface runoff may help to reduce the risk of flooding.
Aims
If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.
There will be no livestock present on the parcel for 5 and a half consecutive months during the autumn and winter. This closed period must include December to mid-March.
Prohibited activities
To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits across the whole parcel, do not carry out any of the following activities:
On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.
Recommended management
To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.
- Please refer to Aims, Prohibited activities and Additional guidance and advice
Keeping records
Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.
- Stock records to show grazing activity on each parcel
- Input records showing that the grassland has received more than 100kg of nitrogen per hectare per year
Additional guidance and advice
The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.
Storing manures and moving livestock
We recommend that you do not:
- store manure on the site
- cause soil damage on other parcels by removing livestock from the site
- apply any fertilisers or manures from 15 August to 31 January
as doing so might breach regulations.
Biodiversity
This option has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holding’s situation and potential.
The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.
Further information
Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply.
[FER]: Farm Environment Record
[SDA]: severely disadvantaged area