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Moorland and upland
UPL3 — Limited livestock grazing on moorland
£111 / ha / year3-year agreementUpdated for SFI26
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there’s a limited livestock density grazing on the moorland, so its habitat is maintained or enhanced alongside farming.
The purpose of this is to:
- prevent expansion of areas of bare ground
- increase surface roughness
- reduce diffuse pollution
- improve water quality and flood risk management
- provide habitats for moorland species
- protect historic and archaeological features
Where you can do this
You can do this action on land located above the moorland line that’s:
- 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
If a land parcel is located above and below the moorland line, you can enter it into this action if:
- most of the area is above the moorland line
- it’s managed as one grazing unit with adjacent land parcels located above the moorland line
Farmyards or land used for turf or peat production are not eligible for this action.
Eligible land type | Eligible land cover | Compatible land use code |
Permanent grassland | Permanent grassland | PG01 |
Non-agricultural areas, such as scrub, scree, bracken and bog | Relevant non-agricultural land cover, such as scrub, scree, bracken or bog | Relevant non-agricultural land use code to match land cover |
What to do
You must make sure that the livestock density across the land entered into this action does not exceed 0.04 grazing livestock units ( GLU ) per ha at any time.
To convert livestock numbers into GLU , you must use the following values:
- Cattle over 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 1.0 GLU
- Cattle over 6 months to 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 0.6 GLU
- Lowland ewe and lamb, or ram – 0.12 GLU
- Store lamb, hill ewe and lamb or hogg or teg – 0.08 GLU
- Goat – 0.12 GLU
- Pony or donkey – 0.8 GLU
- Horse – 1.0 GLU
Lambs at foot do not have a separate GLU allocation. They are included in the figures shown for ‘ewe and lamb’.
Read the ‘advice to help you do this action’ to find out how to calculate the livestock density.
You must not carry out supplementary feeding of livestock on land entered into this action, except with mineral licks.
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 the required written stocking calendar and supply this evidence if we ask for it. It can be recorded on paper or electronically.
Advice
Optional advice for UPL3: Limited livestock grazing on moorland .
Can be combined with
Want to know if this actually applies to your farm, and roughly what it’d be worth alongside everything else you’re eligible for?
Get your planVerbatim from GOV.UK’s SFI26 actions guidance. Estimates are based on published rates, not a guarantee of payment — see our disclaimer.
