Managing EFA for the first time

This year, many farmers and crofters will be managing Ecological Focus Areas (EFA) for the first time. We know that this will be a big change.

If you are not yet compliant, you could risk a penalty on your Greening payment. However, there are still things you can do to make sure you are compliant and receive your payment in full.

The first thing you should do is review the list of EFA options to see what you could deliver on your land.

While the scheme year runs from 1 January 2026, some options don’t require management until later in the year. For example, catch crops don’t tend to be planted until spring.

That means you may have options still open to you. We’ve included some examples below. We’ve also said how you would need to record this on your 2026 Single Application Form (SAF).

We know that many farmers and crofters sow these after harvest. That means they won’t necessarily be in place when you fill in your 2026 SAF.

You can still use this option for 2026, as long as you will have the Green Cover crop established by 1 November 2026. You will need to declare it in the proposed fields.

Many farmers and crofters sow these around April or May. That means that they might not be established when you fill out your 2026 SAF. However, you can still use this option for 2026 as long as you will have crops in place in accordance with the scheme guidance this year. You will need to declare it in the proposed fields.

These can be planted throughout the tree planting seasons. If you commit to use this option in your 2026 SAF, you must either have already planted, have eligible trees or plan on planting these.

You can use this option even in late spring, aiming to produce seed for birds in the autumn of the year. You will need to declare it in the proposed fields.

These are to be managed from the 1 March until the 1 December. You have up until 15 May to establish a new hedge managed under this option.

The deadline for establishing a new Herb and Legume-Rich Pasture is 1 July 2026. That means you can establish the Grass mix after the time you complete your SAF.

This is the first year that many farmers and crofters have had to manage EFA.

For that reason, and for this year only, we will allow a grace period of up to 15 July 2026 to establish any new EFAs.

Examples could include:

  • sowing wild bird seed into an area declared as EFA fallow
  • sowing a wild-flower mix into an area declared as EFA margin
  • stitching a diverse seed mix into pasture to meet herb and legume grassland requirements

If you are managing EFA for the first time, you might not be familiar with the Greening section of the SAF.

You will be asked to record which EFA options you are using to meet your EFA requirement in 2026.

However, as set out above, you might not have created your EFA options yet and not started the management.

This is not a problem – as long as you start planning now what options you will manage, the area required and where on your holding they will be located.

This will help you complete your SAF and meet the updated Greening requirements.

If you are still not sure on what you need to do, please speak to us.

Our Area Office team are there to help you – their first priority is to help you be compliant.

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