188体育

Duration

3 years

How much you鈥檒l be paid

拢935 per tonne per year 鈥� maximum of 1 tonne of supplementary winter bird food (action AHW2) for every 2 hectares (ha) of winter bird food (action CAHL2 in the expanded SFI offer or AHL2 in the SFI 2023 offer)

Action鈥檚 aim

This action鈥檚 aim is that from late winter until mid-spring there鈥檚 a mix of seeds spread on the ground at multiple feeding areas.

The purpose of this is to provide seed-eating farmland birds with supplementary food when:

• seed is in short supply in the late winter period (known as the hungry gap)
• their breeding season starts in early spring

Where you can do this action

You can only apply for this action if:

• action CAHL2 (winter bird food) or AHL2 in the SFI23 offer is included in your agreement
• the land you鈥檝e entered into CAHL2 is registered as 鈥榝ully organic鈥� or 鈥榠n conversion鈥� by a Defra-licensed organic control body

If the land you鈥檝e entered into CAHL2 or AHL2 is not 鈥榝ully organic鈥� or 鈥榠n conversion鈥� you must apply for AHW2 (supplementary winter bird food) instead.

This action is not available for equivalent actions in a Countryside Stewardship agreement. This includes:

• OP2 (wild bird seed mixture)
• AB9 (winter bird food)

You must do this action on land that鈥檚:

• firm and free draining, such as farm tracks or hard standing areas
• close to areas of existing winter bird food, enhanced overwinter stubbles or game cover

What to do

You must spread an organic winter supplementary feeding mix in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action鈥檚 aim, including:

• dividing the total weight of mix as equally as possible between the multiple feeding areas
• spreading the mix at least once a week from late winter until mid-spring in the following year (usually from early December to late April)

You must use an organic winter supplementary feeding seed mix that contains both:

• cereals (not maize) 鈥� these should make up no more than 70% of the total mix by weight
• small non-cereal seeds 鈥� these should make up at least 30% of the total mix by weight, with no individual species being more than 50% of the non-cereal element by weight

The small non-cereal seeds element must contain at least 3 of the following species:

• canary seed
• linseed
• oilseed rape
• red millet
• sunflowers
• white millet

If organic seed is unavailable, you must apply to your organic control body for a derogation to use non-organic seed.

You must not:

• use feed hoppers to supply more than around 10% of the seed mix during each feeding period (from late winter to mid-spring)
• use tailings (small seeds and chaff removed from the harvested crops) in the seed mix

You must keep a written 鈥榝eeding diary鈥� which includes:

• details of the mix used, including the weight of the cereals and small non-cereal seeds elements and cost
• method of feeding 鈥� spreading or hopper
• feeding dates
• amount fed
• location of feeding areas

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.

If this action鈥檚 start date means it鈥檚 too late for you to do this action, you must start doing it within 12 months of the action鈥檚 start date.

In the final year of this action鈥檚 duration, you must do this action until mid-spring, or this action鈥檚 end date, whichever is earlier.

How to do it

It鈥檚 up to you how you do this action, as long as you:

• follow this action鈥檚 requirements 鈥� these are identified by a 鈥榤ust鈥�
• do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action鈥檚 aim

You may find it helpful to read the 鈥榓dvice to help you do this action鈥�, but it鈥檚 not part of this action鈥檚 requirements.

Evidence to keep

You must keep:

• a valid organic certificate and schedule for all land entered into this action 鈥� this must cover at least the full period of this action鈥檚 duration
• the required written feeding diary 鈥� this can be recorded on paper or electronically

If organic seed is unavailable, and you apply to your organic control body for a derogation, you must keep evidence of this.

You must supply this 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鈥檙e done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read 鈥榃hat to do鈥� and 鈥榃hen to do it鈥� to find out when this action must be done.

Scheme	Action or option codes
SFI 2024 actions	Same as base action
SFI 2023 actions	Same as base action
CS options	Same as base action
ES options	Same as base action
SFI pilot standards	Same as base action

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 鈥楨ligible land in other funding schemes鈥� 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鈥檚 not part of this action鈥檚 requirements.

Choosing a supplementary feeding seed mix

This action explains the minimum requirement for the winter supplementary feeding seed mix (under 鈥榃hat to do鈥�).

An example seed mix could include:

• 50% wheat
• 20% naked oats
• 15% white millet
• 10% oilseed rape
• 5% sunflower hearts

Choosing the right location for feeding areas

When planning which feeding areas to use, check you can reach them regularly. This is important if bad weather will cause you problems travelling to them during the winter.

When to start spreading the feeding mix

It鈥檚 advisable to start spreading the winter supplementary feeding mix before the sown winter bird food runs out. This keeps farmland birds using the areas and prevents a dip in their winter condition.

How often to feed

This action requires you to feed at least once a week.

You can:

• feed smaller amounts of seed more often, to match the birds鈥� consumption
• stagger feeding over a number of days at different feeding areas

This can help to reduce:

• seed spoilage, so there鈥檚 a fresh supply of food to keep birds healthy
• the amount of feeding mix eaten by non-target species such as rodents, crows and pigeons 鈥� this is important when ground feeding or if hoppers are unprotected

Try to disperse the seed mix across the feeding area, instead of leaving it in piles.

How much to feed

This action requires you to divide the total weight of mix as equally as possible between the multiple feeding areas.

For example, to supply up to around 500 kilograms (kg) of seed at each feeding area you can spread the mix:

• so there鈥檚 an average of around 25kg at each feeding area during the feeding period 鈥� you can vary the amount of seed to match demand, so seed is not left uneaten
• once a week for 20 weeks 鈥� you may need to feed for longer if the winter period is extended due to bad weather, so birds are not left with a 鈥榟ungry gap鈥� before natural seed resources become available

Keeping feeding sites clean

It鈥檚 important to keep feeding areas clean for the health of the birds.

To minimise the risk of disease and parasites spreading between birds using the feeding areas, you can:

• not spread the seed mix too thickly or leave it in piles 鈥� this can encourage the build-up of harmful parasites and attract non-target species such as rats
• limit the use of feed hoppers
• spin or scatter the seed mix to avoid creating feed piles or long trails
• stop feeding if there is a visible build-up of uneaten food 鈥� you can start again when the seed mix has been eaten
• move the location of feeding areas regularly