Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 8 June 2023.

£31 million has been made available for equipment and technology to boost farm productivity, increase environmental sustainability and help slurry management.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 June 2023.

HS2 Woodland Fund reopens to support woodland creation and restoration projects along the HS2 Phase One route.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 May 2023.

Projects include genetic research to reduce methane emissions from cows and the use of drones to monitor animals.

Up to £30 million has been awarded to cutting-edge farming projects that will boost food production, move towards net zero, and create a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

The projects announced today include:

• Ground-breaking genetics research projects which could reduce methane emissions in cattle by 17% per generation, and produce a reliable UK-grown protein source that can replace soya in human foods.
• Investigations into the use of drones and artificial intelligence to inspect and monitor animals to enable farmers to take action should animals go missing or need attention.
• Efforts to develop biopesticides using fungal strains that help tackle pests in wheat crops, and to pin-point the genetics for creating slug resistant wheat.

Alongside the £30 million set to be awarded to more than 50 successful projects, the government has also made a further £12.5 million available to fund innovative projects helping to deliver a more productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

The funding is all part of the Farming Innovation Programme, run in partnership with UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and delivered by Innovate UK, which is making £270 million in grants available before the end of the agricultural transition to fund research and development projects to help farmers and growers produce food more sustainably.

Secretary of State for Agriculture Thérèse Coffey said:

Farmers are always forward-looking, and innovation is key to driving forward a resilient, productive and sustainable agriculture sector that puts food on our tables whilst protecting and restoring the environment.

Alongside our new farming schemes, these grants will help to support farmers and pave the way for a technological transformation that will help produce food sustainably for generations to come.

Katrina Hayter, Executive Director Healthy Living and Agriculture of Innovate UK, said:

The competitions once again demonstrate the sheer breadth and quality of innovation within the UK agri-food space.

We’re proud to be able to help deliver these funding and partnership opportunities to the sector, bringing together farmers, growers, technologists and researchers in a common aim of making the UK food system more sustainable and resilient.

Whether improving existing production or introducing novel foods and techniques, the winners have all risen to the innovation challenge and we look forward to supporting their development further.

These grants, alongside the government’s new flexible and accessible farming schemes, will ensure that farmers remain at the heart of the rural economy and putting food on our tables.

It follows the Farm to Fork Summit earlier this month where the government announced a package of support for the farming sector, including new measures to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of adopting new technologies and techniques. This includes substantial investment to unlock the potential of precision breeding following royal assent for the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, and a working group to bring plant breeders, food manufacturers and retailers together to agree an approach that enables these products to reach our shelves.

£12.5 million for new ‘On-Farm Environmental Resilience’ competition

The new £12.5 million ‘On-Farm Environmental Resilience’ competition will see farmers and growers apply for up to £1 million in project costs to drive the development of new technology and innovative farming methods, with a focus on practical solutions that make a real impact on farms.

Projects could find new ways to detect pests and prevent and manage disease; help farmers to reduce their fertiliser use; boost soil resilience; and manage threats from extreme weather and flooding. Projects researching how gene editing and methods including regenerative cropping could boost productivity and crop resilience are also encouraged to apply.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 29 May 2023.

Environment Secretary asks producers to address concerns over ‘flushable’ labelling of wet wipes.

Government has stepped up action to tackle harmful plastics and clean up our waterways by challenging producers of wet wipes to address concerns over how they label their products.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey has written to wet wipes producers setting out her concerns about the number of wet wipes that are flushed down UK toilets – between 2.1 – 2.9 billion each year – and has asked them to reconsider the use of the word ‘flushable’ on packaging to help prevent sewer blockages and water pollution.

Wet wipes contribute to 94 percent** of sewer blockages, which can lead to damage to properties and can result in sewage-related litter entering the environment. It is estimated that water companies spend £100m each year dealing with this. The Environment Secretary has told producers that labels saying ‘flushable’ or ‘fine to flush’ may encourage consumers to dispose of wipes down the toilet, rather than disposing of them responsibly in the bin.

Wet wipes producers have now been asked to set out how they will address these concerns.

This week (26 May) Water Minister Rebecca Pow attended a summit in Paris, where the UK, alongside 52 other members of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) to End Plastic Pollution (HAC), has signed a far-reaching Joint Ministerial Statement that calls for a range of mandatory provisions to be included in the global plastic pollution treaty, currently under negotiation.

Water Minister, Rebecca Pow said:

“It is vital that producers are more transparent with their guidance on flushability, as ultimately wet wipes that are dumped down the toilet can cause damage to our environment and water quality.

“This is alongside the wider action we’re taking on water quality, including tougher enforcement for water companies, more investment and tighter regulation to stop pollution happening in the first place.”

This action follows on from commitments made in the government’s Plan for Water to write to producers and advertising authorities about using the word ‘flushable’ on wet wipes packaging.

The Plan for Water also committed to a public consultation on the proposal to ban wet wipes containing plastic, responding to public calls to tackle the blight of plastic in our waterways and building on recent action from major retailers including Boots and Tesco. The government will work with industry and making sure plastic-free alternatives are always available to the public.

These plans build on our previous efforts to eliminate avoidable plastic waste, including:

• One of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products announced in 2018
• Restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds in 2020.
• Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022 – a tax of £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.

Following the huge success of the 5p single-use carrier bag charge, in May 2021 we also increased the minimum charge to 10p and extended it to all retailers, taking billions of bags out of circulation.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 May 2023.

UK signs Ministerial Statement calling for an ambitious global plastic pollution treaty to tackle plastic pollution and protect the marine environment.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 May 2023.

A £40 million grant programme launched to help projects around the world put the power of biodiversity at the forefront of our fight against climate change and poverty.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 May 2023.

Upland farmers will benefit from improved access to the government’s farming schemes.

Upland farmers from Exmoor to the Lake District will benefit from improved access to the government’s farming schemes, with increased payment rates and improved options under Countryside Stewardship.

Upland farmers play a vital role in keeping the nation fed while protecting the environment, and government is committed to making sure that their interests are protected and represented in the new faming schemes being delivered now that Britain has left the EU and is free from the bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy.

The changes announced today by the Secretary of State for Food and Farming follow direct feedback from the sector, and will help to support them as sustainable food producers and custodians of England’s most-loved landscapes for years to come.

Following feedback from uplands farmers and industry representatives, the government is:

• Making payment rates in environmental land management schemes equal for both upland and lowland farms where they are carrying out the same actions. This means increased rates for upland farmers in four Countryside Stewardship options.
• Reviewing and amending a further seven Countryside Stewardship options make them more accessible to upland farmers.
• Improving engagement with upland farmers with focused advice and support to help them access schemes.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I want to pay tribute to our upland farmers who not only deliver some of our finest produce, but also act as the guardians of some of our country’s most iconic landscapes.

As we work to deliver a fairer, more sustainable farming system outside the EU, we are determined to make sure their interests are at the heart of these efforts. That’s why we’ve set out a range of new support to ensure that they feel the benefits of our new schemes for years to come.

Secretary of State for Food and Farming Thérèse Coffey said:

The uplands are a hugely important part of our English landscape and heritage and upland farmers are crucial for our rural economy.

We’ve worked closely with upland farmers from day one, and they’ve told me personally what further support they need, so today we’re further responding to their feedback with increased payments, an improved offer and more engagement to ensure they are at the centre of our schemes.

These changes will support the delivery of the government’s pledge to ensure there is something for every type of farmer in their new schemes, as direct land-based payments are phased out.

Rewarding farmers for low inputs on grasslands in upland areas, which previously earned farmers £98 per hectare, will increase to £151 – the same payment farmers elsewhere receive. At the upper end of the scale, creation of upland wood pasture will increase from £333 per hectare to £544 to align payments for upland and lowland farmers.

Following feedback from farmers, there will also be improvements made to existing offers within Countryside Stewardship, with details to follow as part of the full 2024 offer in the summer.

Today’s announcement follows significant work to make sure that upland farmers are at the centre of England’s farming policies.

Upland farmers can:

• Get paid for over 130 relevant actions under the Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive from 2024. This will include new moorland and upland peat action, with considerably higher payments for moorlands in good environmental condition
• Extend their Higher Level Stewardship agreements for five years running alongside Countryside Stewardship or SFI agreements, allowing them to get paid for more actions and take advantage of price increases
• Apply for the second round of the Landscape Recovery scheme, which is open to individual or groups of land managers
• Apply for upland Wildlife Offers for a range of management options that focus on providing habitats for farm wildlife
• Apply for the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme if they are in an AONB, National Park or the Broads.
• Express an interesting in a free vet visit to reduce costs and improve productivity.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 May 2023.

Animal welfare to be enhanced with launch of the Animal Sentience Committee and consultation on penalty notices.

• Five new members will be appointed to form the first-ever Animal Sentience Committee
• Committee’s establishment ensures animal welfare remains at the heart of government policy
• Government also launches consultation on expanding enforcement  mechanisms for animal health and welfare offences

The first-ever animal sentience committee was formally launched today with the appointment of five new members, the government has announced (25 May 2023).

The Animal Sentience Committee is fully independent and will support Parliament in assessing how well policy decision-making across Government effectively considers animal welfare. The appointment of the five new members marks the next step in the delivery of a key government manifesto commitment to legislate for sentience and builds on the government’s strong track record on animal welfare.

The government is also launching an eight-week public consultation on introducing penalty notices to bolster enforcement for animal health and welfare offences – meaning those who commit offences such as importing illegal animal products could face fines of up to £5,000.

Giving enforcement bodies the option to issue penalty notices provides a middle-ground enforcement option between the current routes of giving out advice and guidance, and pursuing prosecution. Bridging this gap means a fairer and more consistent approach to protecting animals from harm.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

“In this country, we pride ourselves on our high standards of animal welfare, and we have introduced powerful laws to maintain them.

“We are delivering on our manifesto promises and continue to explore ways to enhance our position as a global leader on animal welfare.”

Commenting on the appointments, the Chair of the Animal Sentience Committee, Michael Seals, said:

“The establishment of the Animal Sentience Committee is an important moment for animal welfare in this country.

“Our five new members will collectively bring a range of varied and valuable experience across veterinary and animal welfare, playing a key role in helping to bring these considerations to the forefront of policy decision making.

“We have bold plans to improve animal health and welfare and I look forward to working closely with the Committee to deliver these ambitions.”

The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and we are fully committed to delivering our manifesto commitments on animal welfare, building on the action we’ve already taken including increasing animal cruelty sentences, recognising the sentience of animals in law, banning glue traps and extending the Ivory Act.

Alongside these new measures, we are also supporting Private Members’ Bills currently before Parliament banning the import of detached shark fins, banning the import of hunting trophies and banning the advertising and offering for sale here of unacceptably low animal welfare activities abroad.

For more information on the penalty notice consultation and to respond, visit: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/animal-health-and-welfare/penalty-notices-for-ahw-offences-in-england

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 May 2023.

Environment Agency Chief Executive John Curtin chaired the latest National Drought Group meeting on 24 May.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 May 2023.

New legislation to allow the movement of large oak trees and trade within the operational zones and boundaries in place to help manage Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) is being introduced today (24 May).

OPM is a tree pest first identified in London in 2006 which has spread to some surrounding counties in the South-East of England. Its caterpillars feed on the leaves of several species of oak trees, causing them to lose their leaves, negatively impacting their growth, and making them more vulnerable to other stresses, such as drought. When touched by members of the public, they can cause itchy rashes, eye, and throat irritations. The period between June and August provides the greatest risk to health as this is when the caterpillars emerge.

The Forestry Commission has in place operational zones and boundaries aimed at managing OPM. In March, in response to government surveillance, the Established Area in which OPM is established and the Buffer Zone in which an annual programme of OPM management takes place, was expanded.

From today, a new demarcated area will be established around the Buffer Zone and Established Area, enabling large oak trees (girth at 1.2m above the root collar of 8cm or more) to be moved within this boundary, provided that the trees are moved by professional operators and that biosecurity requirements are met along with movement restrictions.

Professor Nicola Spence, UK Chief Plant Health Officer, said:

Healthy oak trees are a vital component of a biodiverse and thriving environmental landscape. They are Great Britain’s most important tree for species biodiversity, supporting over 2000 species of bird, mammal, fungi, invertebrate, bryophyte and lichen.

This is why it is essential that to protect the health of our oak trees, we have regulations in place for the movement of large oak trees within the zones and boundaries designed to manage Oak Processionary Moth.

Andrew Hoppit, Oak Processionary Moth Project Manager, said:

Oak Processionary Moth is a tree pest which can have a negative impact on tree health, and which can cause itchy rashes, eye, and throat irritations, when in physical contact with humans and pets.

While we understand the importance of professional operators being able to move large oak trees, it is vital that we have in place stringent biosecurity requirements to ensure a risk-based approach for moving these trees.

Large oak trees will be able to be moved within the established area, or into the established area from the buffer zone, providing the following biosecurity requirements are met:

Biosecurity competence – Professional operators must demonstrate that they meet the Plant Health Management Standard evidenced through membership of the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme or provision of a Ready to Plant approval from Fera Science Ltd for each consignment to be moved. They must also demonstrate evidence of ongoing on-site monitoring for OPM and inspection of OPM prior to movement.

Official inspections – Professional operators must keep accurate records of the of the contact details of those receiving large oak trees, including the delivery address and contact details. They must store this information for a minimum of three years to ensure traceability of movements. This information can be recorded using the Post planting Inspections form .

Large oak trees will be able to be moved within the buffer zone if they meet two additional biosecurity requirements:

Phytosanitary treatments – Professional operators must have a robust control regime in place with appropriate phytosanitary treatments. These treatments must be applied in line with Defra Guidance on application of phytosanitary treatments for the control of Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) 2023 and records of all treatment applications must be kept for a minimum of three years.

Post-planting inspections – Professional operators must disclose the potential for post-planting inspection as part of the new legislation to buyers at the time of purchase. A proportion of high-risk large oak movements within the buffer zone will be subject to post-planting inspections by the plant health inspectors.

To protect the area free from the pest it will not be permitted to:

Move large oak trees with OPM
Move large oak trees from the Established Area or Buffer Zone into the Area Free from the Pest
Move large oak trees from the established area into the buffer zone
Move large oak trees from the established area or buffer zone into the 10km exclusion zone at the outer edge of the buffer zone boundary
A Government programme to manage OPM has been in place since 2012. Over the last five years, £10 million has been invested into oak health, including the management of oak processionary moth, as well as research to develop novel control techniques and new policy responses.

Professional operators who are growing or moving large oak trees, and who are impacted by the new movement restrictions, should consult with their local Plant Health inspector or the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate for further advice. For further information on the new movement restrictions, please view our digital guide and video explaining these changes. Please also view our interactive map showing the locations of recent confirmed reports of OPM and the national management zones to see how the changes affect you.

This announcement follows Plant Health Week 2023 which raises awareness of the impacts of invasive non-native species and the simple things that everyone can do to help protect the environment. By identifying threats such as pests and diseases, we protect the benefits plants provide to the public, to wildlife, the environment and our economy. More information can be found on the Plant Health Action.org website.