PRF1: Variable rate application of nutrients (updated for SFI26)

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

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 5.1.1 ‘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

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

Permanent crops – horticultural Permanent crops TC01

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 ) can 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

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.

The only exception to this is if you apply an initial ‘wake up’ application of nitrogen  to arable crops in late winter or early spring. In this case, you can:

use equipment that is not VRA equipment

apply the nitrogen at a ‘flat rate’ for the initial ‘wake up’ application only

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

initial flat rate N application records showing the product, the rate and date of application (if relevant)

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.

Scheme Action or option codes

SFI 2026 actions AGF1, AGF2, AHW10, AHW11, AHW5, AHW6, AHW7, AHW8, CAHL2, CIGL2, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM2, CSAM2, CSAM3, OFC1, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM1, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, PRF2, PRF4, SOH1, SOH3, WBD4, WBD6, WBD7

SFI 2024 actions AGF1, AGF2, AHW1, AHW10, AHW11, AHW5, AHW6, AHW7, AHW8, CAHL2, CIGL2, CIPM1, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM1, CNUM2, CSAM1, CSAM2, CSAM3, OFA1, OFA6, OFC1, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM1, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, PRF2, PRF3, PRF4, SOH1, SOH2, SOH3, SOH4, WBD4, WBD5, WBD6, WBD7, WBD8

SFI 2023 actions AHL2, IGL2, IPM1, IPM3, IPM4, NUM1, NUM2, SAM1, SAM2, SAM3

CSHT actions from 2025 CAB11, CAB14, CAB16, CAB17, CAB2, CAB5, CAB6, CAB7, CAGF1, CAGF2, CAGF3, CAGF4, CGS4, CHS3, CHS9, CPAC1, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CSW13, CSW15, CSW16, CSW7, CSW8, CWS1, CWS3

CS options AB1, AB11, AB14, AB15, AB16, AB2, AB5, AB6, AB7, AB8, AB9, GS3, GS4, HS2, HS3, HS9, OP1, OP2, OP4, OP5, OR1, OR3, OR4, OR5, OT1, OT3, OT4, OT5, SW10, SW12, SW13, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9

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)

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 5.3 ‘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

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

Permanent crops – horticultural Permanent crops TC01

How to apply