AB7: Whole crop cereals
Find out about eligibility and requirements for the whole crop cereals option.
How much will be paid
£596 per hectare (ha).
Where to use this option
It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier on whole or part parcels on a rotational basis on:
- arable land
- temporary grassland
Where this option cannot be used
- On parcels at risk of soil erosion or runoff, as identified on the Farm Environment Record (FER)
Related Mid Tier options
You can locate the following options on the same area as this option.
- HS3 – Reduced-depth, non-inversion cultivation on historic and archaeological features
- HS9 – Restricted depth crop establishment to protect archaeology under an arable rotation
- OR3 – Organic conversion – rotational land
- OT3 – Organic land management – rotational land
How this option will benefit the environment
It provides a valuable seed source in grass-dominated areas, from any unripe spilt grain after harvest and from the stubble in winter. It also delivers resource protection benefits when compared to maize.
During the summer there will be foraging for declining and localised farmland birds, small mammals and pollinator species such as bees and other beneficial insects.
A weedy stubble will provide over-wintering habitat for insects and seed eating farmland birds.
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.
Establish a spring cereal crop (not maize) and harvest as a whole crop. Leave the stubble until the following spring.
The stubble will provide a habitat throughout the autumn and winter, until the following spring.
Prohibited activities
To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities:
- apply any herbicides except those on the list of permitted active ingredients
- apply any insecticides between 15 March and the following harvest
- apply any fertilisers, manures or lime to the stubble
- top or graze
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.
We recommend that you:
- establish a cereal crop (not maize) between February and April every year
- harvest as whole crop cereals - this means you must harvest the crop whole as grain and straw and remove from the field
- retain the stubble from harvest until 15 February
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.
- Photographs of the stubble area
Additional guidance and advice
The following advice is helpful but they are not requirements for this item.
Stubbles in the rotation
The best overwinter stubbles come from spring-sown crops, especially barley and those that receive limited herbicide. Also, the spring crop following these stubbles can benefit farmland wildlife, especially if it is combined with another arable option.
For example, a low-input spring crop can provide habitats for spring-germinating arable plants, as well as nesting and feeding habitat for birds and brown hares.
Managing the whole crop option
You can enhance whole crop cereal stubbles by broadcasting beneficial seed and nectar-producing plants, such as mustard and fodder radish, on small areas during or after harvest up to a maximum of 10% of the total whole crop stubble area. This will provide additional feeding and foraging value.
You can also use the stubbles as areas for supplementary feeding when they are next to winter bird food plots.
Rotational management
Remember that stubbles should be in place from harvest to at least 31 December in year 5 of the agreement, after which you can return it to the rotation.
Managing AB7 for priority seed-eating farmland birds
The AB7 whole crop cereals option can be very successful in supporting priority seed-eating birds such as cirl buntings. Delaying harvest as late as possible is beneficial but you must still harvest it as a whole crop cereal.
Permitted active ingredients
You can use the following herbicide active ingredients.
- Amidosulfuron
- Clodinafop-propargyl
- Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl
- Pinoxaden
- Tri-allate
The permitted active ingredients cannot necessarily be used on all eligible crops within options AB7, AB10 and AB14. It’s your responsibility to confirm whether herbicides are approved for use on the affected crop. Always use pesticides in full accordance with the product label conditions of use.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
This option can form part of an IPM approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases. If successful, appropriate and within proximity of cropped areas, these may limit the need for the use of Plant Protection Products and enhance wildlife and biodiversity on your holding. Read information on IPM at AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) Integrated Pest Management and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).
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.
Updates to this page
Last updated 4 January 2024 + show all updates
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Update to How Much Is Paid
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New payment rate from 1 January 2022.
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Additional guidance and advice section updated - this option can form part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases.
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Option updated for agreements starting from 1 January 2022.
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The Requirements, Keeping records and Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this option sections of this page were updated yesterday
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The Keeping records section of this page has been updated.
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List of permitted active ingredients added to section on Advice and suggestions.
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Updated for 2017 applications.
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Information updated for applications in 2016.
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First published.