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Actions to support farm wildlife are those provisions that fit around and alongside productive farming (as opposed to replacing it). These measures support nature alongside productive farming and do not require extensive land use change.

Statutory Environment Act targets 

The farm wildlife interim target will contribute towards the following statutory targets: 

• halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 

• increase species abundance so that by 2042 it is greater than in 2022 and at least 10% greater than in 2030 

• improve the Red List Index for England for species extinction by 2042 compared to 2022 levels 

Interim target 

• by December 2030, double the number of farms providing sufficient year-round resources for farm wildlife, compared with 2025 

Rationale for the interim target: why and how it will progress delivery of the Environment Act target 

The statutory species abundance and extinction targets rely on a wide variety of delivery levers, including farm wildlife support. Support for farm wildlife directly contributes towards delivering the species targets by encouraging actions that support provision of year-round resources and allow species to survive, thrive and move across our agricultural landscape. 

A farm wildlife action refers to approximately 100 specific actions across the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS). These actions can be defined by 4 broad action groups: 

1. Nesting and shelter. 
2. Summer food.
3. Winter food. 
4. Other habitat. 

To count towards the farm wildlife interim target, land managers will be taking at least one action from each of the first 3 groups. This ensures year-round resources are available for species. The list of actions will be regularly reviewed, including where new options become available. 

We have used evidence of previous agri-environment scheme impacts and modelling, alongside an assessment of achievability, to inform the setting of this target. The target has been set at 42% of land managers (double the current 21% of farmers already delivering these actions) on at least 7% of their land because this level supports positive species outcomes whilst also being achievable. Empirical evidence (Sharps and others, 2023) found that Higher Tier agreements (with average bird-friendly option cover of 7.4%) assessed had a strong positive effect on the abundance of many farmland-associated birds in 2 of the 3 regions, whereas in the absence of agri-environment scheme (AES) provision abundance was declining. This target is about providing farm wildlife with the resources they need to thrive within the farmed landscape. 

Wildlife needs both summer and winter food sources. That is why we have included a requirement for these measures to be taken in combination, with appropriate resources made available all year. Evidence shows that delivering these actions, even on a relatively small area of land, can make a significant difference for species outcomes. 

This study also finds that careful targeting can reduce the overall coverage required to achieve species improvements at the landscape scale. To ensure effectiveness, this proposed interim target will require suitable scheme design decisions to ensure provided delivery is of sufficiently high quality, and in the right places. We have identified areas as priority based on the presence of 3 or more of 6 arable-associated declining birds. 

This target aims to increase wildlife on land used for farming. As such, it complements other targets more geared towards separating land for habitat creation, such as our habitat creation and restoration and protected sites targets, and the commitment to 30by30. Both types of provision are necessary for species to thrive. 

Delivery measures 

Table 1: Summary of delivery measures to support the farm wildlife target delivery plan 

Delivery measure	Description	Estimated contribution to the interim targets	Evidence of impact	Responsible	Status
Farm wildlife support delivery through AES	We will support farmers and land managers through Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) agri-environment schemes to implement measures to support farm wildlife alongside productive farming, by providing year-round resources for farmland species.	High	Sharps and others (2023) found higher-tier actions on around 7% of land had a strong positive effect on the abundance of many farmland birds in 2 out of the 3 regions, while declines continued in areas without AES provision. 2024 analysis by RSPB found there was an 80% likelihood of stabilising the Farmland Bird Index for England (FBI) if 41% of farms enacted HLS-type provision covering around 7% of their land (with a further 29% adopting options on 3% to 4% of their land (Burns and others, 2024) This has been adopted as the basis for the target. Evidence also suggests positive impacts of AES on other farmland-associated animals, plants and fungi, although gaps remain in the available evidence for some species groups (Staley J and others, 2024). Natural England has advised that around 90% of species requiring recovery under the D4 species abundance index need reduced agricultural pressures.	Defra with input from Natural England, Forestry Commission and others	In delivery

Key milestones 

The key milestones are: 

• the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme opened in September 2025 to those invited to apply 
• Sustainable Farming Incentive opened for applications in June 2026 (first application window of farms without an existing ELM agreement and small farms (with less than 50ha of agricultural land), and September 2026 (all farms)

Illustrative trajectory 

As of April 2025, 21 to 24% of farm businesses counted toward the farm wildlife target with actions on at least 7% of their farm. 

For this target, we have assumed a baseline of 21%. The target would therefore require this uptake to increase to 42% by 2030. 

Monitoring and evaluation summary 

The metric for this target is based on data regarding uptake of specific AES actions. The metric will track the current proportion (percentage) of land managers and farmers that are choosing Environmental Land Management actions to support farm wildlife on at least 7% of their farm area. 

We will use AES uptake datasets from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), viewed at the parcel level. This data is filtered for parcels containing the specific farming actions. 

We will report annually in EIP annual progress reports. There is a minimal time lag so an assessment of whether the interim target has been met will be possible in the next quarter after the target’s deadline. 

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• Burns F and others (2024). ‘ RSPB Research Report 78, (viewed on 11 November 2025) 

• Sharps E and others (2023). ‘’ Journal of Applied Ecology, volume 60, pages 568–580, (viewed on 11 November 2025) 

• Staley J and others (2024). ‘’ UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and British Trust for Ornithology, (viewed on 11 November 2025)

Annex 1: full list of agri-environment scheme actions that count towards the farm wildlife interim target 

Table 2: Agri-environment scheme actions that count towards the farm wildlife interim target, as of December 2025, across SFI and CS schemes.

Code	Action name
AB1	Nectar flower mix
AB10	Unharvested cereal headland
AB11	Cultivated areas for arable plants
AB12	Supplementary winter feeding for farmland birds
AB14	Harvested low input cereal
AB2	Basic overwinter stubble
AB3	Beetle banks
AB5	Nesting plots for lapwing and stone curlew
AB6	Enhanced overwinter stubble
AB8	Flower-rich margins and plots
AB9	Winter bird food
AGF1	Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
AGF2	Maintain low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
AHL1	Pollen and nectar flower mix
AHL2	Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land
AHL4	4m to 12 metres (m) grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land
AHW1	µþ³Ü³¾²ú±ô±ð²ú¾±°ù»åÌý³¾¾±³æ
AHW10	Low input harvested cereal crop
AHW11	Cultivated areas for arable plants
AHW12	Manage woodland edges on arable land
AHW2	Supplementary winter bird food (Note: maximum 1 tonne for every 2 hectares of CAHL2)
AHW3	Beetle banks
AHW4	Skylark plots (Note: minimum 2 plots)
AHW5	Nesting plots for lapwing
AHW6	Basic overwinter stubble
AHW7	Enhanced overwinter stubble
AHW8	Whole crop spring cereals and overwinter stubble
AHW9	Unharvested cereal headland
BE1	Protection of in-field trees on arable land
BE3	Management of hedgerows
BFS1	12m to 24m watercourse buffer strip on cultivated land
BFS2	Buffer in-field ponds on arable land
BFS3	Buffer in-field ponds on improved grassland
BFS4	Protect in-field trees on arable land
BFS5	Protect in-field trees on intensive grassland
BFS6	6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses
BN11	Planting new hedges
BN5	Hedgerow laying
BN6	Hedgerow coppicing
BN7	Hedgerow gapping-up
CAB10	Unharvested cereal headland
CAB11	Cultivated areas for arable plants
CAB12	Supplementary winter bird food
CAB14	Low input harvested cereal crops
CAB17	Winter bird food on arable and horticulture land
CAB18	Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips (on arable land or permanent crops)
CAB19	Pollen and nectar flower mix
CAB2	Basic overwintered stubble
CAB5	Nesting plots for lapwing and stone curlew
CAB6	Enhanced overwintered stubble
CAHL1	Pollen and nectar flower mix
CAHL2	Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land
CAHL3	Grassy field corners or blocks
CAHL4	4 to 12m of the grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land
CGS4	Herbal leys
CHRW2	Manage hedgerows
CHRW3	Maintain or establish hedgerow trees
CHRW4	Management of hedgerows
CIGL1	Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management
CIGL2	Winter bird food on improved grassland
CIGL3	4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland
CIPM2	Flower-rich grass margins, blocks or in-field strips
CLIG3	Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs
CNUM3	Legume fallow
CSAM3	Herbal leys
CWD3	Manage woodland edges on arable land
CWD7	Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics
CWD8	Create scrub and open habitat mosaics
CWT1	Buffer in-field ponds and ditches on improved grassland
CWT2	Buffer in-field ponds and ditches on arable land
GRH1	Manage rough grazing for birds
GRH10	Supplement: Lenient grazing
GS1	Take small areas out of management
GS13	Management of grassland for target features
GS2	Permanent grassland with very low inputs (outside SDAs)
GS3	Ryegrass seed-set as winter food for birds
GS4	Legume and herb-rich swards
HRW2	Manage hedgerows
IGL1	Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management
IGL2	Winter bird food on improved grassland
IGL3	4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland
IGS4	establish and maintain herbal leys on at least 15% of land in this level of the standard
IPM2	Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips
LIG1	Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs (outside SDAs)
NUM3	Legume fallows
OFA1	Overwinter stubble (organic land)
OFA3	Supplementary winter bird food (organic land) (Note: maximum 1 tonne for every 2 hectares of CALH2)
OP1	Overwintered stubble
OP2	Wild bird seed mixture
OP3	Supplementary feeding for farmland birds
OP4	Multi species ley
SAM3	Herbal leys
SCR1	Create scrub and open habitat mosaics
SCR2	Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics
SW1	4 to 6m buffer strip on cultivated land
SW2	4 to 6m buffer strip on intensive grassland
SW4	12m to 24m watercourse buffer strip on cultivated land
WB1	Small Wildlife Box
WB2	Medium Wildlife Box
WB3	Large Wildlife Box
WBD1	Manage ponds (Note: maximum of 3 ponds per hectare)
WBD2	Manage ditches
WBD3	In-field grass strips
WD3	Woodland edges on arable land
WD7	Maintenance of successional areas and scrub
WD8	Creation of successional areas and scrub
WN2	Creation of scrapes and gutters
WT1	Buffering in-field ponds and ditches in improved grassland
WT2	Buffering in-field ponds and ditches on arable land
WT4	Management of ponds of High Wildlife value (first 100 sqm)
WT5	Management of ponds of High Wildlife value (areas greater than 100 sqm)