Intermediate-crop payment
A one-year payment for farmers growing an intermediate crop to store carbon in arable soil. Applications for 2026 have closed.
Αυτή η ευκαιρία είναι προς το παρόν διαθέσιμη στα Αγγλικά.
The payment supports vegetation grown between two main crops to increase soil carbon, reduce climate impact and nitrogen leakage, and improve fertility.
For 2026, the planned rate is EUR 128 per hectare; the final rate may be EUR 113–141 and is set in autumn according to demand. Payments are in Swedish kronor, using the European Central Bank rate set on the last banking day before October 1. Payment starts in December 2026, although checks can delay it.
An EU budget adjustment may reduce the part of your combined direct payments above EUR 2,000. The European Commission decides whether an adjustment applies and its percentage in November.
Eligibility
You must farm eligible arable land in Swedish support areas 6–12 or area 13, the area without compensatory support. These are designated agricultural support zones: use the official programme page’s support-area map, zoom to your land and read its zone number. Ownership, a lease or another land-use agreement can establish your right to farm it. Permanent crops are excluded. The 2026 main crop cannot be mowing, seed or grazing ley, vegetated fallow or strawberries; a parcel growing maize in the same year is also excluded.
- Your SAM application normally needs at least 4 hectares of agricultural land, and each claimed parcel at least 0.1 hectares. Below 4 hectares, you can qualify if you receive cattle support and your combined qualifying payments reach at least EUR 100. The counted payments are basic income, cattle, young-farmer, precision-farming planning, carbon storage and reduced nitrogen leakage, organic production, ley cultivation, and flowering arable land and field-margin support.
- You qualify automatically as an active farmer with more than 36 hectares, more than 50 livestock units (animals weighted by species and age, using the official page’s livestock-unit conversion table), or at most EUR 5,000 in direct payments last year. Applicants receiving no direct payments last year qualify automatically if expected payments are at most EUR 5,000. If none applies, the county can request evidence such as farm costs or income.
- Sow in the main crop or after its harvest, early enough for good autumn establishment and carbon uptake before the earliest termination date. After potatoes, root vegetables or vegetables, sow immediately after harvest; undersowing is not allowed. There is no fixed latest sowing date. Seed must contain no more than 30% legumes by weight.
- Do not terminate before October 20 in Blekinge, Skåne and Halland, or October 10 in other eligible areas. These limits cover chemicals and mechanical cultivation. If also claiming spring-tillage payment on the parcel, chemical termination cannot occur before January 1, 2027.
- Until the earliest termination date, do not mow for production, graze, take fodder or use the crop for other production. Topping and liming are allowed. Do not fertilise after the main harvest until the termination date, or install subsurface drainage before termination is allowed. The intermediate crop cannot become the 2027 main crop.
- Maintain the agricultural land and comply with the basic land, animal and employer obligations attached to support. Intermediate-crop and spring-tillage payments can be combined on the same land.
How to apply
- Κατάσταση
- κλειστό
- Κλείνει
- Περιορισμοί γύρου
- 2026 intake closed. Ordinary deadline April 9; late applications incurred 1% reduction per working day through May 4.
Apply through SAM Internet; first-time applicants need a customer number from their county administrative board. The 2026 ordinary deadline was April 9. Late applications lost 1% per working day, and applications after May 4 receive no 2026 payment. For applicants who must meet the 4-hectare minimum, the same reduction applies until that minimum is reached, no later than May 4. The cattle-support exception described above still applies.
Keep your application consistent with actual crops and land. The deadline for adding land was June 15. Parcel boundaries and crops can be changed through October 31 without increasing the claimed area; you can also withdraw all or part of the application. Keep factual information accurate, but contact the county if you cannot meet a condition before deciding whether to correct or withdraw a claim. With timely sowing, the county considers local conditions and weather when assessing establishment. Satellite monitoring or inspections can result in reductions or repayment; you may be able to correct the application or submit Geofoto images showing compliance.
An unforeseen event may leave you entitled to payment despite noncompliance. Report it to the county in writing, with an explanation and evidence, within 15 working days of being able to report it. A takeover application is always needed when a different personal or organisation number takes over, including family transfers and changes of business form.