PRF2: Camera or remote sensor guided herbicide spraying
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
£43 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that camera or remote sensing guided technology is used to apply systemic herbicides to control weeds, so they’re targeted precisely.
The purpose of this is to:
- reduce the volume of herbicide applied
- increase biodiversity
- improve water quality, soil quality and productivity
- support an integrated pest management approach
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
- receiving systemic herbicides to control weeds which camera or remote sensing guided technology can recognise
- 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 land cover
Camera recognition is currently available for:
- docks and nettles in grass or leys containing clover
- all weeds in maize
- certain crops grown on wide row spacings (such as potatoes)
- stubbles – where there’s green growth
Remote sensing technology uses artificial intelligence to recognise target weeds.
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 |
| Permanent grassland | Permanent grassland | PG01 |
| Permanent crops | Permanent crops | Land use codes for permanent crops |
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 systemic (contact) herbicides on land entered into this action using camera or remote sensing technology that:
- identifies specific weeds to be controlled
- automatically switches on individual nozzles to apply the herbicides directly to the identified weeds
Systemic herbicides kill the whole weed, from leaf to root.
You must only carry out a ‘blanket’ application of herbicides if you’re applying:
- glyphosate to destroy a cover crop or create a stale seedbed before drilling
- residual herbicides before sown crop plants or weeds emerge (‘pre-emergence’) – this can be at the same time the crop is established (drilled or planted) or within a few days of establishment
- pre-harvest herbicide or desiccant to combinable crops
A ‘blanket’ application means you apply herbicides uniformly across an area, rather than targeting the application to identified weeds.
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
You must follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must.’
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:
- ‘as applied’ data, such as a map showing where individual nozzles switch on to apply herbicide
- a record of any permitted blanket application of herbicide, including the date it was applied
- 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, AHW3, AHW5, AHW6, AHW7, AHW8, AHW9, AHW10, AHW11, BFS1, BFS2, BFS3, BFS4, BFS5, HEF5, HEF6, HEF8, OFA1, OFA6, OFC1, OFC2, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM1, OFM2, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, SOH4, WBD3, WBD4, WBD5, WBD6, WBD7, WBD8, AGF1, AGF2, PRF1, PRF3, PRF4, SOH1, SOH2, SOH3, CAHL1, CAHL2, CAHL3, CAHL4, CIGL1, CIGL2, CIGL3, CIPM1, CIPM2, CIPM3, CIPM4, CLIG3, CNUM1, CNUM2, CNUM3, CSAM1, CSAM2, CSAM3 |
| SFI 2023 actions | AHL1, AHL2, AHL3, AHL4, IGL1, IGL2, ILG3, IPM1, IPM2, IPM3, IPM4, LIG1, LIG2, NUM1, NUM2, NUM3, SAM1, SAM2, SAM3 |
| CS options | AB1, AB2, AB3, AB5, AB6, AB7, AB8, AB9, AB10, AB11, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16, BE1, BE2, GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4, GS5, HS2, HS3, HS4, HS5, HS6, HS9, SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9, SW10, SW13, SW15, SW16, WT1, WT2, OP1, OP2, OP4, OP5, OR1, OR2, OR3, OR4, OR5, OT1, OT2, 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 – all levels SFI pilot improved grassland standard – all 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.
Choosing your equipment
The camera or remote sensor guided technology you use can be either:
- mounted on the sprayer working in real time
- used in advance to create a map which is then uploaded to the sprayer
You may be able to get funding for camera or remote sensor guided equipment through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF).
Updates to this page
Last updated 5 August 2024 + show all updates
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Where you can do this action - 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 - you can carry out a ‘blanket’ application of herbicides if you’re applying residual herbicides before sown crop plants or weeds emerge (‘pre-emergence’). This can be at the same time the crop is established (drilled or planted) or within a few days of establishment. 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.