PRF1: Variable rate application of nutrients
What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.
This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.
Duration
3 years
How much you’ll be paid
£27 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that precision farming equipment is used to apply all major nutrients:
- at a variable rate, which means the nutrient application rate is automatically varied
- to match the nutrient needs of crops on different areas of land
The purpose of this is to:
- reduce over-application of nutrients
- improve yields from more consistent crop growth and quality
- improve water and air quality
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
- receiving applications of at least one major nutrient (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg)) at a rate typically above 100 kilograms (kg) N per ha, 40kg P per ha and 40kg K per ha, per year
- an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information)
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Eligible land
| Eligible land type | Eligible land cover | Compatible land use code |
|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | Arable land | Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops |
| Temporary grassland | Arable land | TG01 |
| Arable land lying fallow | Arable land | FA01 |
| Improved permanent grassland | Permanent grassland | PG01 |
| Horticultural permanent crops | Permanent crops | TC01 |
Eligibility of protected land
| Land or features with protection | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) | Eligible – you must get SSSI consent before you do this action (read section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this) |
| Historic and archaeological features | Eligible – you must get a SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.6 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’ in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this) |
Available area you can enter into this action
Total or part of the available area in a land parcel.
Rotational or static action
This action is rotational or static. This means you can either:
- move its location for the second and third years of this action’s duration
- do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration
What to do
You must apply all major nutrients across the land entered into this action using variable rate application (VRA) equipment.
The VRA equipment must be either:
- pre-programmed with a ‘variable rate file’ using data from zonal soil or crop testing and analysis or remote sensing
- linked to a tractor or sprayer mounted crop reflectance sensor
You must make sure the VRA equipment automatically varies the application rate of the major nutrients in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
For the purposes of this action, major nutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg), as relevant, contained in:
- manufactured fertilisers – solid or liquid
- solid manures – such as farmyard manure, poultry litter, sewage sludge or biosolids
- slurry or digestate, including separated liquid
You do not need to use VRA equipment to apply:
- micro-nutrients, such as boron or sulphur
- lime, because is not a nutrient – it helps to increase the availability of major nutrients and controls soil acidity (pH)
‘Zonal’ soil testing means you divide land parcels into soil management zones and take soil samples within each zone.
The data from zonal soil testing and analysis must cover a minimum of P, K, Mg and pH. You can use existing zonal soil testing analysis if it:
- meets this action’s requirements
- is less than 5 years old
When to do it
You must do this action from its start date, throughout each year of its 3-year duration.
How to do it
It’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
- follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’
- do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
You may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
Evidence to keep
You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
- invoices for zonal soil testing and analysis
- the ‘variable rate file’ uploaded to the VRA equipment
- an ‘as applied’ VRA record at a land parcel level
- field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
- contractor’s invoice if you use a contractor to do this action
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.
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action
You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.
Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read ‘What to do’ and ‘When to do it’ to find out when this action must be done.
| Scheme | Action or option codes |
|---|---|
| SFI 2024 actions | AHW1, AHW5, AHW6, AHW7, AHW8, AHW10, AHW11, OFA1, OFA6, OFC1, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM1, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, SOH4, WBD4, WBD5, WBD6, WBD7, WBD8, AGF1, AGF2, PRF2, PRF3, PRF4, SOH1, SOH2, SOH3, CAHL2, CIGL2, CIPM1, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM1, CNUM2, CSAM1, CSAM2, CSAM3 |
| SFI 2023 actions | AHL2, IGL2, IPM1, IPM3, IPM4, NUM1, NUM2, SAM1, SAM2, SAM3 |
| CS options | AB1, AB2, AB5, AB6, AB7, AB8, AB9, AB11, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16, GS3, GS4, HS2, HS3, HS9, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9, SW10, SW12, SW13, OP1, OP2, OP4, OP5, OR1, OR3, OR4, OR5, OT1, OT3, OT4, OT5 |
| ES options | No ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot standards |
SFI pilot arable and horticultural soil standard – all levels SFI pilot arable and horticultural land standard – introductory and intermediate levels SFI pilot improved grassland standard – introductory and intermediate levels SFI pilot improved grassland soils standard – all levels |
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read section 6 ‘Eligible land in other funding schemes’ in the SFI scheme information for more details.
You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
- the introductory level of the SFI pilot hedgerows standard
Advice to help you do this action
The following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
How to carry out ‘zonal’ soil testing
To carry out zonal soil testing, you can divide land parcels into soil management zones by using:
- a grid to identify 1ha areas, and take soil samples from each 1ha area
- soil scanning to map different areas, and take representative soil samples in each area (usually a minimum of around one per 3ha in each area)
Where possible, avoid taking soil samples on any area of land with historic or archaeological features identified on your SFI HEFER. If you need to take soil samples, read section 5.6 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’ in the SFI scheme information before doing so.
How to apply nitrogen using VRA equipment
To apply nitrogen (N), you can use VRA equipment that’s either:
- pre-programmed with a ‘variable rate file’ using data from crop testing and analysis or remote sensing of crop reflectance – remote sensing will usually need to be carried out no more than around 14 days before the application of N to reasonably achieve this action’s aim
- linked to a tractor or sprayer mounted crop reflectance sensor which varies the application rate in real time
Updates to this page
Last updated 5 August 2024 + show all updates
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Action’s aim - added ‘major’, as this action applies to all major nutrients. Where you can do this action - land needs to be receiving applications of at least one major nutrient (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg)) at a rate typically above 100 kilograms (kg) N per ha, 40kg P per ha and 40kg K per ha per year’. This replaces ‘more than 12 tonnes of cattle farmyard manure (or equivalent amounts of available nutrients)’. An eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information. Eligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information. What to do - updated wording to make it clear this action applies to all major nutrients (N, P, K and Mg, as relevant). You do not need to use VRA equipment to apply: - micro-nutrients, such as boron or sulphur - lime, because is not a nutrient – it helps to increase the availability of major nutrients and controls soil acidity (pH) You can use existing zonal testing analysis if it meets this action’s requirements and it’s less than 5 years old. Evidence to keep - the ‘as applied’ VRA record needs to be at a land parcel level. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements.
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First published.