Greening Changes
9 June 2025Scottish Government recently added new greening rules to be implemented in 2026. These include updates to most of the existing options, an introduction of an additional 4 new EFA options, and removal of some of the previous exemptions. These changes will mean more businesses will have to undertake greening from 2026 who may never have had to in the past. The greening requirement will stay at 5% for 2026. See the full scheme guidance.
The changes should be read in detail and can be found under Section 1 of the above link. The below is intended to be a summary of all the rule changes and additions.
The first thing to be aware of is that the previous 75% grassland exemption for having to do greening has now been removed. This means that as of 2026, if you have more than 15ha of non-organic arable land, which includes temporary grassland, then you will now have to do greening. If you are fully organic you are still exempt. From 2026, you will have to put 5% of your arable land into an Ecological Focus Area (EFA). You now do not need to submit an EFA map along with your SAF, but you must have an up-to date EFA map available for inspection.
Some of the changes to specific options are as follows (all existing weighting factors remain unchanged).
EFA Fallow
EFA Fallow must now either be a diverse mix of temporary grassland, wildflower mix, wild bird seed mix or a soil conditioning crop. If you intend to claim EFA Fallow on Machair Common Grazing you must only manage the fallow as natural regeneration from stubble. The species list for the above crops can be found in the scheme guidance.
EFA Margins
The minimum width of margins has been increased from 1 metre to 3 metres. The same rules apply for classifications of margins, apart from 1 and 2 metre margins are no longer eligible to claim under EFA. GAEC rules still apply. Where a new margin comprising a grass sward is to be created, it must be a diverse grass sward containing pollen-bearing plants. Again, the species list can be found in the scheme guidance.
EFA Catch Crop
The number of crop types that can be undersown has been expanded to include oilseed rape and maize as well as cereals. You can now use spot-treatment to control injurious weeds and invasive weeds with herbicide post-harvest.
EFA Green Cover
There has been an introduction of new species that can be included in a cover crop mix including alsike clover, crimson clover, persian clover, buckwheat, kale, stubble turnip, forage rape and winter beans. Green cover can now be grazed as soon as it is fit to consume. Previously it had to be retained until 31st December.
EFA Nitrogen-Fixing Crops
There are new eligible crops which include alsike clover, berseem clover, red clover, sweet clover and fenugreek. The crop can now be harvested before 1st August. The crop must have a minimum of 3m claimed EFA margin around the field. You are now allowed to apply herbicide and fungicides.
The main EFA claimed nitrogen-fixing crop must be less than or equal to 75% of the total area of EFA claimed as nitrogen-fixing crops. You must sow either a single stand or mix of legumes ensuring that the nitrogen-fixing crop species are predominant by weight of seed if other crops are mixed with one or both of the EFA nitrogen-fixing crops. The predominant nitrogen-fixing crop (for each claimed EFA Nitrogen-Fixing Crop area) should be declared as the Land use on your Single Application Form.
EFA Hedges
The definition of a hedge has changed. Previously any gap of up to 20 metres could be claimed. This has been reduced to 5 metres to encourage replanting.
The dates for trimming hedges have also changed. If claiming hedges for EFA you now cannot trim them or lop branches off trees between 1st March and 1st December, except for road safety reasons or when establishing a winter crop.
EFA Agro-Forestry (EFAAAF)
There are no changes to Agro-Forestry.
New Options
There are four new EFA options which include low input grassland, herb and legume-rich pastures, unharvested crop, and agro-forestry low density planting. Below gives a summary of the options but does not include full detailed guidance.
EFA Low Input Grassland (EFA Contribution 0.2)
This option cannot be managed on rough grazing parcels. You must not apply inorganic fertilisers, allow over-grazing or poaching of any areas etc. You are allowed to spread organic fertilisers, FYM and seaweed.
You must manage fields for grazing by carrying out one of the following: grazing, rotational grazing with rest periods, cut for hay or haylage with grass tedded out. Additonally, you must manage grazed pastures with limited nutrient inputs and you must leave a 3 metre uncut margin to produce flowers and seed. It must be grazed after grass has set seed.
EFA Herb and legume rich pastures (EFA Contribution 1.5)
The aim of this new option is to attain and maintain species diversity in existing rotational or improved permanent grass swards by over-seeding or reseeding with diverse species grass mix. This will extend the period of grassland in an arable rotation, building organic matter, and minimising cultivations which release carbon.
You must ensure that at least three different herbs or legumes, from the table in the guidance, are present in the arable sward.
The mix must include at least one legume and you must ensure evidence of diverse seed mix is retained. You must ensure any inorganic nitrogen fertiliser or plant protection products are not applied, with the exception of spot herbicide application for injurious weeds, invasive weeds or other weed species.
EFA unharvested crop (EFA Contribution 1.5)
Areas of Unharvested Crop can provide an important habitat for farmland biodiversity, contribute to wildlife and ecological networks and benefit water quality. For this option you must establish a single species spring / autumn-sown cereal crop or oil-seed crop or spring sown pea or pulse crop. This crop must be between 6 and 20 metres wide.
You must not apply any plant protection products to the area of unharvested crop from 1st January to 31st December and you must not apply any nitrogen fertiliser. However, you may apply phosphate or potassium to maintain soil fertility. The area must remain unharvested and you can graze the crop after 31st December.
EFA agro-forestry low density planting (EFA Contribution 2.0)
The environmental benefits of agro-forestry systems are that they provide a diversity of habitats for wildlife, can reduce run-off and soil erosion, provide shade for livestock, and potentially provide income diversification. For this option your declared area must have low density (20 to 50 trees per hectare) protected with cactus guard or similar and plastic tree guards on permanent grassland. In arable situations trees should be planted in rows, spaced to ensure machinery can operate in an arable field and protected with guards to prevent browsing. Trees must be native species including fruit trees.
There are many more details on each of these options and full guidance from the up-to-date Greening guidance (2026) should be followed.
Craig Bothwell, SAC Consulting
Sign up to the FAS newsletter
Receive updates on news, events and publications from Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service