OFC4: Organic conversion – horticultural land

This is a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 ( SFI26 ) action. Read the  SFI26 scheme information  to understand what you’re required to do under an SFI26 agreement and how to apply.

Select ‘See all updates’ at the start of this page to find out how this action has changed for SFI26 compared with SFI24 .

For SFI24 actions, read the  SFI24 agreement holder’s information .

Duration

1 year – you can apply for this action for a maximum of 2 consecutive years to cover the period of organic conversion

How much you’ll be paid

£874 per hectare ( ha ) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is that horticultural land used to produce vegetables or salad crops is converted from conventional management to organic management.

The purpose of this is to increase the overall area of land registered and managed as organic.

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:

registered as ‘in conversion’ with a Defra -licensed organic control body

used to grow at least 1 horticultural crop in each land parcel entered into this action

an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1.1 ‘Eligible land types’ in the SFI26 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

Land is not eligible for this action if you’ve previously:

registered it with an organic control body

received organic conversion aid or funding for it

Eligible land

Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code

Arable land used to grow horticultural crops Arable land Land use codes for horticultural arable crops

Permanent crops – horticultural Permanent crops TC01

Permanent grassland where cultivation is part of the conversion plan Permanent grassland PG01

Eligibility of protected land

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must:

give notice to Natural England to get SSSI consent before the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA ) offer you an SFI26 agreement

have received SSSI consent from Natural England before you do this action (read section 10.1 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details)

Historic and archaeological features: Eligible – you must get an SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.3 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’ in the SFI26 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. It’s your responsibility to check that the area you enter is eligible for this action.

You must do this action on the area entered into your SFI26 agreement. If something happens which means you cannot complete this action on some or all of the area, you must tell the RPA in writing as soon as possible. Read section 12.2 ‘What to do if you cannot comply with your agreement’ in the SFI26 scheme information to find out how to do this.

Rotational or static action

For non-permanent horticultural crops grown on arable land this action is rotational. This means for the second year of organic conversion you can either:

move its location

do it at the same location

For permanent horticultural crops, this action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.

What to do

You must:

follow the organic conversion plan for the land entered into this action and associated livestock, as approved and signed off by your organic control body

comply with organic standards on land entered into this action from the start of organic conversion period until this action’s end date

complete organic conversion and register the land entered into this action as ‘fully organic’ before this action’s end date

When to do it

You must do this action from its start date, throughout each year of this action’s duration until the land is registered as ‘fully organic’.

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

Evidence to keep

You must keep:

a copy of the organic conversion plan approved and signed off by your organic control body

a valid organic certificate and schedule for all land entered into this action – this must cover at least the full period of this action’s duration

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.

Scheme Action or option codes

SFI 2026 actions AGF1, AGF2, AHW11, AHW3, AHW5, BFS1, CAHL1, CAHL2, CAHL3, CAHL4, CIPM2, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM3, CSAM2, PRF1, PRF2, SOH3, WBD3

SFI 2024 actions AGF1, AGF2, AHW1, AHW11, AHW12, AHW3, AHW5, BFS1, BFS2, BFS4, CAHL1, CAHL2, CAHL3, CAHL4, CIPM1, CIPM2, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM1, CNUM3, CSAM1, CSAM2, PRF1, PRF2, PRF3, SOH2, SOH3, WBD3

SFI 2023 actions AHL1, AHL2, AHL3, AHL4, IPM1, IPM2, IPM3, IPM4, NUM1, NUM3, SAM1, SAM2

CSHT actions from 2025 CAB11, CAB16, CAB17, CAB18, CAB19, CAB5, CAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CHS3, CHS9, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CSW17, CSW19, CWD3, CWS1, CWS3, CWT2

CS options AB11, AB16, AB3, AB5, AB8, BE1, HS3, HS9, SW1, SW3, SW4, SW6, WD3, WT2

ES options No ES revenue options

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 5.6 ‘Land that’s already in other funding schemes or grants’ in the SFI26 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 2026 actions: CHRW2, BND1, BND2 and WBD2

SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2

SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3

CSHT actions: CHRW4

CS options: BE3 (management of hedgerows)

Eligible land

Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code

Arable land used to grow horticultural crops Arable land Land use codes for horticultural arable crops

Permanent crops – horticultural Permanent crops TC01

Permanent grassland where cultivation is part of the conversion plan Permanent grassland PG01