Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 March 2023.

New legislation unlocks key technologies to improve UK food security, reduce pesticide use, and enhance climate-resilience in our crops.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act passed into law today (Thursday 23 March), a major step in unlocking growth and innovation in new technologies, reinforcing food security in the face of climate change and ensuring England becomes a world-leader in agri-food innovation.

The Act will set in motion changes to allow farmers to grow crops which are drought and disease resistant, reduce use of fertilisers and pesticides, and help breed animals that are protected from catching harmful diseases. Precision breeding involves using technologies such as gene editing to adapt the genetic code of organisms – creating beneficial traits in plants that through traditional, breeding would take decades to achieve. This enables scientists to safely create foods that are more flexible, adaptable and plentiful for years to come.

Under the provisions of this Act, a new science-based and streamlined regulatory system will be introduced to facilitate greater research and innovation in precision breeding – with stricter regulations remaining in place for genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Food Minister Mark Spencer said:

The Genetic Technology Act is fantastic news for British consumers and farmers. Precision Breeding technologies are the future of food production not just at home, but around the world, and this Act will put our nation at the forefront of this revolution.

Some 40% of crops globally are lost every year to floods, pests and other external events, and this new law will unlock our agri-biotech industry to support resilient food production for decades to come.

Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser Gideon Henderson said:

This is an important time for agricultural science. The ability to use gene editing to make precise, targeted changes to the genetic code of organisms, in a way that can mimic traditional breeding, enables development of new crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, healthier to eat, and more resilient to drought and heat as climate changes.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act covers precision-bred plants and animals developed through techniques such as gene editing. This is different to genetic modification (GM), which produces crops containing genetic changes that could not have occurred through traditional breeding or occur naturally.

The Act ensures that before we see any changes to market, the Food Standards Agency will consult on new food and feed legislation and produce a new proportionate risk assessment for precision bred food and feed. England joins countries such as Argentina, the US, Australia and Japan that have already enacted similar legislation, driving innovation on a global scale and helping fight the greatest challenges facing the world.

While there is great potential for increasing innovation, the government recognises that there is a need to safeguard animal welfare in the new regulatory framework. That is why we are taking a step-by-step approach, enabling use of precision breeding technologies with plants first followed by animals later.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 March 2023.

A single case of atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Cornwall today (Monday 20 March).

Atypical BSE is not contagious and there is no risk to food safety or human health as a result of this isolated case.

Atypical BSE is a naturally and sporadically occurring non-contagious disease, which is believed to occur in all cattle populations at a very low rate.  Atypical BSE is distinct from classical BSE which is linked to infectious feed.

The animal was routinely tested under the BSE fallen stock survey and was removed from the farm for disposal. This animal, as fallen stock, was not destined for the human food chain and posed no risk to the general public.

Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

“A single case of atypical BSE on a farm in Cornwall has been confirmed. The animal, which was not intended for the human food chain, died on the farm and was tested as part of the strict routine control and surveillance regime.

“Atypical BSE is distinct from classical BSE and is a spontaneously occurring, non-contagious disease which occurs at a very low level in all cattle populations. This is proof that our surveillance system for detecting and containing this type of disease is working.”

Dr Darren A Cutts, Head of Meat Hygiene Policy at the Food Standards Agency said:

“There is no food safety risk.  There are strict controls in place to protect consumers from the risk of BSE, including controls on animal feed, and removal of the parts of cattle most likely to carry BSE infectivity.

“Consumers can be reassured that these important protection measures remain in place and that Food Standards Agency Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors working in all abattoirs in England will continue to ensure that in respect of BSE controls, the safety of consumers remains the top priority.”

Great Britain’s overall risk status for BSE remains at ‘controlled’ and there is no risk to food safety or public health.

In line with international commitments, the World Organisation for Animal Health and trading partners have been informed of the case. This does not affect the UK’s ability to export beef to other countries.

BSE is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect it you must report it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268. In Scotland, contact your local Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence. This applies to pet and small holder animals as well as commercial cattle.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 March 2023.

New powers made possible through the Environment Act will enable Ofwat to clamp down on excessive cash pay-outs and hold water companies to account.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 17 March 2023.

The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill has been passed by the House of Commons.

The Government made a manifesto commitment to ban imports of hunting trophies of endangered animals and today has supported the passage of Henry Smith MP’s Private Member’s Bill which delivers this.

The Government will continue to support the Bill in the Lords helping to protect animals listed by the internationally agreed Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

After the debate, International Biodiversity Minister Trudy Harrison said:

“This is a pivotal moment in delivering one of our key manifesto commitments on international conservation and animal welfare. Using an internationally agreed list of species, this will play an important part in helping reverse the decline of wildlife across the world. I look forward to it becoming an Act of Parliament.”

Conservative MP for Crawley Henry Smith said:

“At the last General Election we stood on a manifesto commitment to ban imports of hunting trophies of endangered animals. The House of Commons passing this legislation today marks an important moment in ensuring that this pledge to support conservation becomes a reality.

“I’m grateful to the Government for supporting my Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill and I look forward to it now progressing through the House of Lords.

“Our country does not want to be part of a trade in the body parts of endangered species. Today the Commons sent this message loud and clear.”

The Bill will ban the import of trophies hunted from around 6,000 species including lions, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears.

It follows the government’s world-leading Ivory Act which came into force last year, introducing a near total ban on the import, export and dealing of items containing elephant ivory in the UK. We will also be setting out measures in due course on whether to extend that ban to other ivory bearing species.

The Government will also support Angela Richardson’s Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill in the Lords, which will provide the ability for government to ban the sale and advertising of activities abroad which involve low standards of welfare for animals.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 16 March 2023.

A £275,000 project to reduce flood risk in Chesterfield using innovative natural flood defences has completed.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 14 March 2023.

Farmers can now apply for the Basic Payment Scheme and claim for their existing Countryside Stewardship revenue and Environmental Stewardship agreements.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 March 2023.

• £4m funding will enable innovative projects to enhance tree planting stocks and woodland resilience to help meet Government net zero by 2050 ambitions
• Funding will support multi billion pound sector to create new markets for wood products, driving trade and growing the economy

Applications for the Forestry Commission delivered Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds and the Tree Production Innovation Fund have today (13 March) reopened to further support expansion and management of our nation’s trees and forests and futureproof them against stresses like pests, disease and climate change.

This year, almost £4 million will be allocated to successful applicants across both funds, which together boost nature regeneration efforts, promote biodiversity, and support innovative approaches to tree production, tree health, and woodland resilience through increased and improved active management of woodlands, amidst a changing climate.

As tree planting across the country increases, the Tree Production Innovation Fund will support the development and deployment of new technologies and ways of working which will provide a diverse supply of healthy young trees. This will support Government ambitions to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament and plant 30,000 hectares of trees across the UK per year by 2025.

The announcement comes ahead of the new woodland episode of the BBC wildlife documentary Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough, that will explore how ecosystems and habitats support wildlife around the UK, including the importance of protecting our woodlands.

Richard Stanford, Chief Executive, Forestry Commission, said:

“Our trees and forests are under threat from climate change, pests and diseases.  Trees have to be resilient for the very long term of their lives and we need to innovate to ensure the woods we have, and those we must grow, thrive.”

“The projects supported through these funds are essential in supporting efforts to build larger, more diverse and more resilient treescapes across the country and I strongly encourage all suitable projects to apply today.”

The Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds aims to bring an additional 20,000 hectares of existing woodland into active management, which can help boost biodiversity and protect against pests and diseases. The fund will also support projects which will develop new technologies and working practices to help homegrown timber production meet domestic and international demand.

This will help to bolster timber security and grow the United Kingdom’s forestry and primary wood processing sectors, which support 30,000 jobs and contribute over £2 billion to our economy every year.

The third round of the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds and the Tree Production Innovation Fund are now open. The closing date for the Tree Production Innovation Fund is Tuesday 9th May. The closing date for the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds is Monday 15th May.

Forestry Commission are hosting webinars to support with the application process. To sign up to a webinar, for further information about the funds and to apply visit:

Tree Production Innovation Fund – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 March 2023.

New legislation laid in Parliament today introducing mandatory cat microchipping.

• Government delivers on key manifesto pledge to introduce compulsory microchipping for all owned cats
• Owners will have until 10 June 2024 to microchip their cat
• Microchipping cats will help reunite thousands of lost or stray pets every year

New legislation to introduce compulsory cat microchipping is being laid in Parliament today (13 March), making it easier for lost or stray pet cats to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely.

There are over 9 million pet cats in England, with as many as 2.3 million unchipped, meaning that it would be very difficult to reunite them with their owner if they get lost or stolen.

The new microchipping rules follow a Government call for evidence and consultation on the issue in which 99% of respondents expressed support for the measure. The introduction of compulsory cat microchipping was a manifesto commitment and an Action Plan for Animal Welfare pledge.

The new rules mean cats must be implanted with a microchip before they reach the age of 20 weeks and their contact details stored and kept up to date in a pet microchipping database. All owners must have their cat microchipped by 10 June 2024 and owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one implanted, or may face a fine of up to £500.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

“Cats and kittens are treasured members of the family, and it can be devasting for owners when they are lost or stolen.

“Legislating for compulsory microchipping of cats will give comfort to families by increasing the likelihood that lost or stray pets can be reunited with their owners.”

Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

“I am pleased that we are progressing with our requirement for all cats to be microchipped.

“Microchipping is by far the most effective and quickest way of identifying lost pets. As we’ve seen with dog microchipping, those who are microchipped are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their owner.

“By getting their cat microchipped, owners can increase the likelihood that they will be reunited with their beloved pet in the event of it going missing.”

Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy, Campaigns & Government Relations, Madison Rogers, said:

“Cats Protection is delighted that pet cats in England will be given the same protection as dogs when it comes to microchipping. The charity regularly reunites owners with their much-loved cats, and in most cases this is only possible thanks to microchips. No matter how far from home they are found, or how long they have been missing, if a cat has a microchip there is a good chance that a lost cat will be swiftly returned home.”

The process of microchipping involves the insertion of a chip, generally around the size of a grain of rice, under the skin of a pet. The microchip has a unique serial number that the keeper needs to register on a database. When an animal is found, the microchip can be read with a scanner and the registered keeper identified on a database so the pet can quickly be reunited with them.

It will not be compulsory for free living cats that live with little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm, feral or community cats.

Owners with cats that are already microchipped should ensure their details are up to date.

The commitment to microchipping is part of a wider Government effort to build on our existing world-leading standards. Since publishing the Action Plan for Animal Welfare in 2021: we have brought in new laws to recognise animals sentience, introduced tougher penalties for animal cruelty offences and brought forward a ban on glue traps.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 March 2023.

Four swimming spots in England are being considered to become designated bathing water sites and benefit from regular water quality monitoring from this spring, the Water Minister has today (10 March) announced.

Sykes Lane Bathing Beach and Whitwell Creek at Rutland Water, Firestone Bay in Plymouth, and a section of the River Deben at Waldringfield, Suffolk, have all progressed to a public consultation. If designated, it will take the total number of sites to 424, the highest number ever.

Once designated, the Environment Agency regularly monitors water quality at bathing waters and assesses whether action is needed to cut pollution levels, working with local communities, farmers and water companies to improve water quality at these locations.

Over the past decade, we have made good progress in improving bathing water quality at existing sites, thanks to robust regulation and strong investment. Since 2010, the proportion of bathing waters assessed as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ has increased from 76% to 93%. Meanwhile, 72% are considered ‘excellent’ – up from just 51% in 2010. This is the highest level ever, despite the classification standards for bathing waters having been made more stringent in 2015.

The government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, published earlier this year, includes a target for everyone to live within a 15 minute walk of a green or blue space, such as bathing sites. As of 2022, there are 421 designated bathing waters in England (407 coastal, 12 lakes, 2 rivers).

Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

England’s bathing water sites are an important part of how we safeguard our precious coastal waters, rivers and lakes, as well as protecting the health of bathers.

The actions we have taken mean that people across the country will be able to swim at more sites and in better quality water, but we know there is more to do.

“I would strongly encourage all residents and bathers to take part in these consultations to help make sure we continue to have cleaner and healthier waters both now and for future generations.”

If the sites are designated, the Environment Agency will regularly take samples during the bathing season – which runs between 15 May and 30 September. Local residents, businesses, farmers and other members of the public are invited to have their say before the consultation closes on 24 March.

When selecting new sites, Defra considers how many people bathe there, if the site has suitable infrastructure and facilities, such as toilets, and where investment in water quality improvements following designation would have the most impact.

All applications are assessed against these factors and only those that meet these factors are taken forward to public consultation.

This government has taken significant action in recent years to protect and improve our rivers, lakes and coastal waters. This includes:

• Setting strict new targets on water companies – designed to frontload action in important areas such as bathing waters – as part of our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. This requires water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history – £56 billion capital investment over 25 years.
• Increasing monitoring of discharges from approximately 5% in 2016 to nearly 90% in 2021. This will reach 100% cover by the end of this year. Through the Environment Act, water companies are being required to make near real-time data on storm overflow discharges publicly available.
• Working with the farming community and regulators to reduce nutrient pollution from agriculture through our future farming reforms. The government has also increased the Environment Agency’s capacity to conduct farm inspections, with the target of conducting 4,000 a year, and doubled the funding for our Catchment Sensitive Farming programme.
• Seeing record levels of fines for water companies who break the law. Since 2015, the Environment Agency has secured fines of over £144m. Government is making it easier for regulators to enforce fines and hold water companies to account – with a consultation to launch this spring.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 March 2023.

Mel Austen, Lynn Dicks and Dame Caroline Spelman have been appointed to the board of Natural England.

Defra Ministers have appointed Mel Austen, Lynn Dicks and Dame Caroline Spelman as Natural England board members. These appointments are for a three-year term and will run from 1 March 2023 for Lynn Dicks and Dame Caroline Spelman, and 1 April 2023 for Mel Austen.

Board members play an important role in providing leadership for the organisation, ensuring the delivery of Natural England’s mission to build partnerships for Nature recovery, in support for the Environmental Improvement Plan. This includes setting strategy and direction, agreeing objectives, overseeing performance and taking important decisions such as designations.

The appointments were made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

Natural England plays a key role in delivering the government’s environmental priorities and ensuring the natural environment is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of present and future generations.

Andy Clements and Michael Winter will be leaving the Board when their terms expire at the end of March.

Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:

“Our Board plays a crucial role in supporting our organisation as we deliver for the environment and support the government’s targets to halt and reverse nature decline. There are huge opportunities for Natural England to shape this landscape, whether through our specialist advice and guidance which is supporting the roll-out of the Environmental Land Management Schemes, or creating new and better spaces for Nature through our growing Nature Recovery Network.

“I very much look forward to working with Mel, Lynn and Dame Caroline, who each bring a range of skills and experience that will help us deliver on these ambitious plans. I would like to thank Andy Clements and Michael Winter for their many years of dedicated service on the Natural England Board and wish them the very best with their continued efforts for Nature recovery in other roles.”

Biographies:

Mel Austen

• Mel is a Professor of Ocean and Society at the University of Plymouth where she is also Director of its Centre for Systems Thinking: Ocean, Land and Society. She leads and undertakes marine research and training for sustainable outcomes across the blue economy in the UK and internationally.
• Previously Mel was the Head of Science at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) leading the Sea and Society science area; Chief Scientist to the Marine Management Organisation; independent member of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and member of the Natural Capital Committee.
• She is Chair of the Partnership of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in North Devon, UK.

Lynn Dicks

• Lynn is a University Lecturer in Animal Ecology at the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge; a Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge; and a Trustee of the Royal Entomological Society. She leads a research group working on sustainable agriculture and insect conservation.
• Previously, she was a NERC Independent Research Fellow at the University of East Anglia, where she now holds an Honorary Readership.
• From 2002-2010, Lynn worked as a science writer and broadcaster, including a short-term role as a Communications Strategy Manager for Natural England.

Dame Caroline Spelman

• Dame Caroline is a board member at several organisations, such as the Commonwealth Games England, British Horse Society, and she co-chairs the Net Zero Commission of the think tank Onward and chairs the Diocese Commission of the Church of England.
• She was an MP for 22 years, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between 2010-2012, Deputy Director for European Sugar Beet Growers Association and NFU Sugar Beet Secretary.