Lets talk Cover Crops...

What are Cover Crops?

Cover Crops is a sustainable agricultural practice where specific plants called green manures, are grown and then incorporated into the soil while still green, to improve soil fertility and structure,

If you’re completing this action as part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot, how you do it is up to you. Green Manures have mutual benefits with Companion Crops, when used together they create healthier soil, better crop yields and a reduced need for chemical inputs . Making them powerful tools for biodiversity and sustainability within farming.

Cover crops are grown over a single winter. They cover bare soil and stubble left by cash crops like maize and cereals.

Rescue Mixture ( SAM2,CSAM2,SOH2,SOH3 )

What Plants are suitable for a cover crops?

• cereals and grasses

• legumes

• brassicas

• herbs

  
  

What are the benefits of Cover Crops?

• adding organic matter to the soil

• increasing biological activity

• improving soil structure

• reducing erosion

• reducing leaching and weed suppression

• increasing the supply of nutrients available to plants (particularly by adding nitrogen to the system by fixation)

How to use Cover Crops?

Use a soil risk assessment to identify issues that cover crops or green manure can resolve. Issues include:

• poor soil structure, like compaction

• soil erosion and runoff

• low levels of nitrogen in the soil

What are the SFI Cover Crop codes?

• SAM2

• CSAM2

• NUM2

• CNUM2

• CNUM3

• SOH2

• SOH3

• SOH4

• IPM3

• CIPM3

Click on the link below to find out if you are eligible to qualify and how to get paid under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), how to apply for funding and how to manage you agreement.

.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sustainable-farming-incentive-guidance

N-Retain Cover Mixture ( SAM2,CSAM2.SOH2,SOH3 )