New EFA options provide opportunity for farming sectors to collaborate

The latest Environmental Focus Area options ‘lend themselves beautifully’ to arable and livestock sectors working together, with grazing and cover crop options helping to boost arable fertility and income, while providing much needed grazing for stock producers.

That’s according to Inverness-shire based farm consultant Jenny McCallum, who has worked through the 11 EFA options (‘interventions’) listed on the Rural Payments website for the Strathspey Monitor Farm, and discussed them at a recent open meeting.

She believes the options available will encourage many arable units to consider the value of running livestock on their units. “I’m not encouraging arable farmers to keep stock themselves if it’s not their thing. But it could provide an opportunity for them to collaborate with livestock farmers and particularly for sheep wintering.”

She said there are ‘many advantages’ of introducing livestock to an arable enterprise. “The EFA options are perfect for sheep, and having them in on an arable unit will reduce weeds, return manure to the soil which boosts fertility, and bring money in.”

This year, many mixed farms will be introducing Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) for the first time. The previous exemption for farms with more than 75% forage has been removed, so any business which grows 15ha of arable or more, including temporary grass, must undertake greening measures, although certified organic land remains exempt.

For businesses like the Smith family who farm at Auchernack near Grantown on Spey and host the Strathspey Monitor Farm, identifying the best greening measures for their situation can seem a daunting prospect, but Jenny said there is ‘nothing to fear’.

Jenny said: “Arable farmers have had to do this for some time, but this year, the exemption for anyone with more than 75% forage has gone. Many mixed farms will be back in the game now and will need to rethink what they do.”

EFA rules mean that fields marked as TGRS (temporary grassland) are included along with fodder and combinable crops under the ‘arable’ category. Land which does not count towards the Smiths’ arable area includes open woodland which is grazed, rough grazing, roads and buildings and, crucially, PGRS, she explained.

“There are a lot of folk thinking they’ll have to do greening as they have permanent grass and may reseed it, but permanent grass doesn’t count as arable. If you had it in PGRS on your SAF [Single Application Form] last year, ploughed it in the back end and put in a break crop such as kale, and then it was back into grass in spring, keep it as PGRS on this year’s SAF and it doesn’t count – EFA won’t affect you.

“Conversely, if you were needing your PGRS to come into arable to perhaps use as TGRS fallow or go onto future herb and legume option, then keep evidence of the back-end cropping, such as the seed label and take a photo of the crop to then use TGRS1 on the subsequent SAF. It can work both ways.”

For the Smiths, and anyone else facing greening for the first time, her main advice is ‘don’t panic’. “If you are a livestock farmer, there are actually lots of cool options which can help you – this is not a bad change. But think about it now – don’t wait until the IACS deadline.

“If you are an arable farmer, collaborating with a livestock producer could bring many advantages as well as bringing in more income. You may feel you don't have the infrastructure to take sheep, but electric or temporary rylock fencing, portable water supply and moveable shelter such as bales or tattie boxes can make a field perfectly accessible. The sheep can also do a great job running over winter cereals for a while to aid tillering and remove any diseased leaves.

“Overall, the 2026 EFA options are really useful. It’s made EFA much more versatile and practical - there’s something in there for everyone,” said Jenny.

Beth Alexander, Monitor Farm Scotland manager added: “The opportunity for collaboration between arable and livestock sectors is good news. It builds on the work we have been doing with the East Lothian Monitor Farm looking at grazing options on arable units and how they work best in practice for both parties.”

Jenny will be discussing the EFA choices made by the Smiths at the Strathspey Summer Open Meet from 4.30pm on Wednesday 3 June at Auchernack Farm, Grantown on Spey.