Greening – Specialist Advice to Deliver the Most Environmental Benefit

Greening was introduced to enhance the environmental performance of farming. If you are applying for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), you must meet the Greening requirements where applicable on your farm or croft. As part of this, you may be eligible to receive a Greening payment—an additional payment under the BPS—for implementing agricultural practices that are beneficial for the climate and the environment.

It was recently announced that changes to greening requirements will come into effect from 1 January 2026. Examples of updates include changes to: Ecological Focus Area (EFA) fallow; Enhanced Greening Hedges and; Exemptions for grassland and temporary grassland.

To help farmers understand the rules, the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) web page Preparing For The Future | Helping farmers in Scotland provides further details of the rules and a checklist to help you to ascertain if EFA apply to you.  If you would like further advice to help you to deliver the most environmental benefit through your greening options, FAS can provide funded specialist advice on up to two topics, including biodiversity, habitat and landscape management.

Up to £3,200 of funding is available through FAS for specialist advice. To find out more and apply for funding, visit our Specialist Advice page. For support choosing the best grant options and help finding an advisor, contact FAS at advice@fas.scot or 0300 323 0161.