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Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

  • PRESS RELEASE : £1.6 billion investment brought forward to speed up vital water infrastructure projects [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : £1.6 billion investment brought forward to speed up vital water infrastructure projects [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 3 April 2023.

    Projects worth over £1.6 billion of investment will tackle water pollution and increase resilience to drought.

    Over £1.6 billion of new investment will be directed into vital infrastructure to improve the water quality of our rivers, lakes and coastal waters and secure future water supplies, the government and Ofwat announced today (3 April).

    It follows a request from Defra to English water companies to accelerate investments between now and 2025 to tackle storm overflow discharges, reduce nutrient pollution from treatment works and address water resilience challenges.

    This announcement comes ahead of the government’s Integrated Plan for Water, which will be published tomorrow, and will set out how we can achieve cleaner and more plentiful water for future generations. The investment announced today will ensure improvements are made more quickly to address the unacceptable levels of pollution in waterways and deliver for customers.

    As part of the new package of investment, announced in draft form by Ofwat, companies will commit £1.1 billion to help eliminate harm caused by storm overflows. A further £400 million will be spent on water resilience schemes and £160m to help reduce nutrient pollution.

    It includes major new projects such as:

    • United Utilities reducing around 8,400 spills per year, including reducing discharges into Lake Windermere (£800 million)
    • Yorkshire Water improving wastewater treatment infrastructure in Ilkley to improve the bathing water quality of the River Wharfe (£67 million)
    • South West Water upgrading assets and storage to reduce discharges in Falmouth and Sidmouth (£70 million)
    • Anglian Water accelerating its regional storm overflow reduction plan in the east of England (£27 million)
    • Essex and Suffolk Water increasing water resilience in their area to better meet the needs of local customers including businesses (£18 million)
    • Severn Trent rolling out smart meters and modifying its Draycote Water reservoir in Warwickshire to increase water capacity (£70 million)

    Schemes will also focus on new infrastructure to reduce nutrient pollution. Improvements at 14 wastewater treatment works, with an investment of £160 million, will significantly reduce phosphorus pollution in protected site catchments. This includes proposals from Anglian Water to both reduce pollution and support sustainable housing development.

    All work will start in the next two years, from 2023 to 2025.

    Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

    These new schemes will help accelerate the delivery of the urgent improvements we need to protect our environment. It includes £1.1 billion of new investment to stop sewage discharges at sites across the country and will deliver a reduction of 10,000 discharges per year in places like Lake Windermere, the River Wharfe, Falmouth and Sidmouth.

    The investment set out here will also provide an important boost for regional jobs, businesses and local communities.

    It builds on the key commitments in our five year strategy – our Environmental Improvement Plan – as well as our upcoming Plan for Water to tackle pollution, reduce water consumption and protect our waters.

    Ofwat Chief Executive David Black said:

    Substantial investment is needed to address the challenges to our water system of storm overflows, river and bathing water quality and drought resilience.

    We are pleased that we’ve been able to work with companies and identify significant investments which companies can start well before the next price control period. This will bring substantial benefits for customers and the environment and bring them faster. We want to see companies making more rapid progress in delivering improvements, and will hold them to account if they fall short.

    Ofwat will consult on these draft decisions and the consultation will close at midday on Monday 24 April 2023.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Thérèse Coffey – Companies that pollute our waters could face unlimited penalties [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Thérèse Coffey – Companies that pollute our waters could face unlimited penalties [March 2023]

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

    Higher fines for water companies to be reinvested into water quality improvements, Environment Secretary to announce.

    Tougher penalties and fines on water companies will be reinvested back into a new Water Restoration Fund, Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey is expected to announce next week, making polluters pay for damage they cause to the environment. This fund will deliver on-the-ground improvements to water quality and support local groups and community-led schemes which help to protect our waterways.

    It will form part of a new Plan for Water, to be published shortly, which will map out the government’s action plan for tackling pollution, boosting water supplies, driving up performance and toughening up enforcement against companies who fail to deliver improvements.

    The fund will help local groups – bringing together local NGOs, councils, farmers and others – to identify the biggest issues and direct investment to where it is most needed to improve our rivers, lakes and streams.

    It will support projects to look after our water environment, improve management of our waters and restore protected sites. These could include restoring wetlands, creating new habitats in important nature sites, tackling invasive non-native species and ‘rewiggling’ rivers – adding natural bends to improve water quality and biodiversity.

    The Environment Secretary is also expected to publish a six-week consultation on strengthening the Environment Agency’s ability to impose sanctions on water companies without going through the courts.

    The consultation sets out the government’s preferred option for lifting the upper cap on civil penalties on water companies, allowing unlimited fines. These penalties will be quicker and easier to enforce although the most serious cases will still be taken through criminal proceedings.

    The Plan for Water will include measures on every source of pollution – storm overflows, agriculture, plastics, road run-off and chemicals – as well as managing the pressures on our water supply.

    Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

    I know how important our beautiful rivers, lakes, streams and coastlines are for people and nature – and I couldn’t agree more than more needs to be done to protect them.

    I want to make sure that regulators have the powers and tools to take tough action against companies that are breaking the rules and to do so more quickly.

    Through the Water Restoration Fund, I will be making sure that money from higher fines and penalties – taken from water company profits, not customers – is channelled directly back into the rivers, lakes and streams where it is needed. We know that around 310 miles of rivers each year have been improved through community-led projects – we must build on that success.

    Further detail on how the Water Restoration Fund will be managed will be set out in due course.

    Since 2015 the Environment Agency has secured fines of over £144 million, including £90 million from a fine imposed on Southern Water in 2021.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Teesside first area to benefit from new scheme to unlock development and drive nature recovery [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Teesside first area to benefit from new scheme to unlock development and drive nature recovery [March 2023]

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

    Developers in the River Tees area will be first to be apply for credits to unlock new housing.

    Efforts to reduce nutrient pollution in our waterways and unlock housebuilding have been stepped up today with the launch of Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme.

    Opening today (31st March), developers in the Tees and Cleveland Coast catchment will be able to apply for credits to offset the small impact of development and create new wildlife habitats, such as wetlands. Natural England has already invested in land which will provide the first credits in the Tees catchment to unlock up to 1,600 homes this year.

    Polluting nitrate and phosphate nutrients come from a wide range of sources including sewage treatment works, septic tanks, livestock, arable farming and industrial processes and causes serious damage to waterways and wetlands, affecting the quality of life for people who live nearby.

    Extra wastewater from residents in new housing developments can put additional pressures on these waterbodies, particularly ones that are already in a fragile or failing condition, but when development is designed alongside suitable mitigation measures, that additional damage caused by new residents can be avoided.

    Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England, said:

    Our wetlands and estuaries provide huge benefits to people as places for recreation and to enjoy wildlife. But these precious places are being seriously damaged by pollution.

    If we are to see nature recovery in action, we must first protect these internationally renowned places. Our new mitigation scheme will help improve our natural environment and allow the houses we need to be built.

    Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

    Nutrient pollution can harm wildlife in our waterways and poses a real threat to our protected sites for nature.

    This scheme will facilitate the delivery of hundreds of new homes in the Tees area and more across the country – and promote access to green space, and make a major contribution to nature recovery.

    The Nutrient Mitigation Scheme, first announced in July 2022, is led by Natural England in partnership with Defra and DHLUC. The scheme is being supported by up to £30 million investment from the government to speed up delivery. With the Teesside scheme now live, work is continuing to identify the next sites suitable for mitigation projects with efforts focussed on areas with the highest housing needs. This will unlock development of new housing in other parts of the country and help to drive nature recovery in areas where there are high levels of nitrate and phosphate pollution.

    In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced it will soon publish a call for evidence from affected local authorities on local mitigation project opportunities. The government remains committed to providing investment to accelerate the delivery of high-quality credit schemes when they are presented.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Greater support for farmers to calculate and reduce their emissions [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Greater support for farmers to calculate and reduce their emissions [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 30 March 2023.

    Announcements form part of the Net Zero Growth Plan and Nature Markets Framework.

    The government has today (Thursday 30 March) responded to calls from the farming sector for more support to open up multi-billion pound opportunities for farmers and landowners in the carbon market through a commitment to develop a new harmonised approach for measuring on farm emissions.

    The announcement, from the government’s Net Zero Growth Plan and Nature Markets Framework, follows on from a call for evidence on the role of robust monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions on farms.

    Whilst there are already numerous tools on the market for farmers to assess their emissions, inconsistency in the results has led to low confidence from industry and low uptake.

    By developing a harmonised methodology and setting out by 2024 how farmers will be supported to measure their emissions, the government can help the agricultural sector reduce emissions across the supply chain – including from livestock, nutrient management, and farm equipment.

    Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

    As well as producing food for our tables, farmers and land managers can play a key role in helping the UK achieve net zero.

    We’ve been listening to the farming sector, and the measures announced today will not only help them to calculate their carbon footprint, but also open up new financial opportunities, such as combining private commercial opportunities with our new farming schemes support.

    There is also a huge opportunity for farmers to access private sector funding for delivering positive outcomes for nature, which is why the government is also accelerating the growth of these nature markets through the Nature Markets Framework.

    The framework will support nature markets to grow in a way that makes them fair, effective and accessible to farmers. Alongside this, the Green Finance Institute will develop an online toolkit to help farmers identify and access private payments for environmental benefits.

    The government is also looking at how farmers can be given better advice to access nature markets, by supporting farmers to access advice through the Landscape Recovery development phase and are looking at how we facilitate collaboration through Countryside Stewardship.

    This will help farmers to access the more than £1 billion per year that the government is seeking to raise in private finance for nature’s recovery by 2030, and build on the projects which are already in place

    The measures will complement the existing support that the government has in place to help the agricultural sector reach net zero. This includes support through Environmental Land Management schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farms.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Green Finance Boost for Nature in UK [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Green Finance Boost for Nature in UK [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 30 March 2023.

    New Green Finance Strategy and Nature Markets Framework to develop growth of green finance.

    Plans to accelerate investment in nature have been set out by the Government today (Thursday 30 March) as part of its drive to net zero by 2050.

    The Green Finance Strategy published today will set out how the government will encourage green finance for nature-based solutions such as tree planting and peatland restoration and support farmers to access new private sector revenue streams whilst protecting our natural environment.

    The government has set a target to raise at least £500 million in private finance to support nature’s recovery every year by 2027 in England, rising to more than £1 billion per year by 2030.  This will support greater biodiversity and contribute to achieving our Environment Targets.

    Environment Secretary, Thérèse Coffey MP said:

    We need a healthy and thriving natural environment to meet our Net Zero goals and build our resilience to climate change.

    Our announcement today sends a signal that the opportunities from investing in our farmland, forestry, peatlands and marine areas are great and offer long term rewards for people and nature.

    Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

    The appetite to invest in nature exists, and the Green Finance Strategy and the Nature Markets Framework will help unlock that potential and develop markets for a greener UK.

    The Environment Agency is working with government to support private sector investment in climate adaptation and nature recovery, including through the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund. Financing work like nature-based flood alleviation schemes will help us reduce the economic costs of climate impacts in the coming decades.

    Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England:

    A healthy environment and a vibrant economy go hand in hand. Green finance can unlock Nature’s solutions and help us meet a wide range of goals, from restoring clean water to promoting long term food security, and from resilience to climate change impacts to helping sustain public health. By going high Nature we can also help to go low carbon. Through setting standards and creating a clearer pathways for investment, we can achieve economic goals at the same time as environmental ones.

    Measures set out to support green growth today include:

    • An agreement that by 2024 farmers will be supported to better measure their emission sources through carbon audits and a harmonised approach to measuring carbon emissions.
    • These changes will support farmers and land managers so they can earn income from Government led environmental land management schemes as well as attract finance from the private sector for sequestering carbon, improving water quality, and greater biodiversity alongside food production.
    • Publishing a Nature Markets Framework, which sets out the government’s approach to supporting and accelerating growth of these markets and will enable revenue streams from different markets to be combined to support projects with multiple objectives for example increasing biodiversity and improving water quality. To date uncertainty about market development, how public funds interact with private markets, and tax impacts have limited long-term investment – the new Framework will help overcome this.
    • Providing four pioneering local and combined authority areas (Cornwall; Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland & Furness; West Midlands Combined Authority; and York and North Yorkshire) with funding of up to £1 million each as part of the Local Investment in Natural Capital (LINC) programme. This two-year programme delivered by the Environment Agency and the four local authorities to test ‘what works’ in attracting investment into local priorities for nature.
    • Working with the British Standards Institution (BSI) to develop a range of nature investment standards. Building on the experiences of the UK Woodland Carbon Code and UK Peatland Code, this will increase the range of trusted standards that market participants, including farmers and landowners, can use to access the nature markets.

    Government has also set out today how it will support climate and nature action across the world with the publication of its 2030 Strategic Framework for international climate and nature action and International Climate Finance Strategy.

    The 2030 Strategic Framework sets an ambitious vision for global climate and nature action up until 2030 to keep 1.5oC alive, build resilience to current and future climate impacts, and halt and reverse biodiversity loss. It will be supported by the new International Climate Finance (ICF) strategy that outlines our commitment to spend £11.6 billion of International Climate Finance between 2021/22 and 2025/26 to help developing countries mitigate, respond and adapt to the challenges of climate change, and has been at the forefront of tackling the twin challenges of nature loss and climate change globally.

    During the UK’s presidency of COP26, more than 140 countries which are home to over 90 per cent of the world’s forests made a historic promise to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by the end of this decade. More recently, the UK played a leading role in helping to secure agreement to the ground-breaking COP15 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt and reverse the destruction of nature.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Coastal communities to receive funding for recreational sea fishing [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Coastal communities to receive funding for recreational sea fishing [March 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 March 2023.

    Government announces funding available for projects that will improve recreational sea fishing across the UK.

    Up to £1 million has been made available for coastal communities across the UK to invest in new and improved infrastructure for recreational sea fishing.

    From today (27 March), eligible applicants will be able to bid for between £10,000 and £100,000 for projects to upgrade recreational fishing facilities, reduce carbon emissions, support the protection and recovery of the marine environment, and provide training to help recreational sea fishermen operate in a more sustainable way.

    Recreational sea fishing involves fishing for the purposes of pleasure, tourism or sport. With an estimated two million recreational sea anglers taking to the water every year, recreational sea fishing contributes over £800 million to the UK economy annually and boosts local economies through activities such as fishing tournaments, boat rental, bait and tackle supply, and local tourism.

    Part of the £100 million UK Seafood Fund infrastructure scheme, this funding will ensure recreational fishing continues to prosper by backing projects which could enhance piers and harbours, create more accessible paths, floating walkways and pontoon dockings; and promote fishing tournaments.

    Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

    Recreational sea fishing is a small but mighty part of our fishing industry. It contributes to the economic growth of coastal communities and is a much-loved sport that can improve the health and well-being of those who take part.

    This new round of funding will encourage the development and expansion of the sport in coastal areas, promote and support more sustainable fishing practices, and ultimately make recreational fishing bigger and better for anglers across the UK.

    The £100 million UK Seafood Fund is supporting the long-term future and sustainability of the UK fishing and seafood industry by backing innovation, skills and job creation around our coastline.

    Today’s funding is the latest funding from the UK infrastructure scheme and will be open until 19th June 2023. Applicants can apply here: Atamis Contracts Search (force.com).

    It means at least £65 million in grant funding has now been made available through the scheme to improve infrastructure right across the seafood supply chain, including investment in fleet modernisation and the trialling of hybrid and electric engines; and improved capability at ports, harbours, processing and aquaculture facilities. Successful bidders include Scottish company Denholm Seafoods who will install equipment to increase production of mackerel and herring, and Cornish based Falfish who will invest in new technology to grade, freeze and pack pelagic fish in support of building two purpose-built Sardine fishing vessels.

    Nearly £20 million was awarded in the first round of the infrastructure scheme for projects including the expansion of processing facilities for popular British fish like Scottish salmon and Cornish sardines, with a further £30 million made available in round two. The small scale fishing fleet will also benefit from an initial £2 million investment to trial new, greener engines and help create a safer, more sustainable fishing fleet.

    The second round of the UK Seafood Fund Skills and Training scheme is also currently open for applications, with up to £10 million available to fund training projects and facilities for workers in the seafood and aquaculture industry and recreational angling sector.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £9.13 million awarded to develop cutting-edge farming technology [March 2023]

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

    Robotic crop harvesting, a new way of cultivating potatoes and an autonomous cow bedding system receive share of funding.

    Three cutting-edge projects will receive a share of £9.13 million in government funding to carry out research and development on proposals to boost agricultural productivity, sustainability and climate resilience, it has been announced today.

    The funding will support projects developing robotic crop harvesting for horticulture, an autonomous system to change cows’ bedding to improve their health, welfare and productivity, and a more environmentally-friendly approach to potato cultivation.

    The three projects are being supported through the Large R&D Partnership competition, which is part of the government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme, and a second round of the competition is currently open for applications.

    This is all part of the government’s commitment to spend around £600 million on grants to provide support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over three years. It will be funded from the £2.4 billion annual farming budget, which is being maintained at its current level for the rest of this current Parliament.

    Alongside the ongoing roll-out of the Environmental Land Management schemes, the grants will help to deliver long-term sustainable food production and support farmers to halt and reverse the decline of nature as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.

    Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

    It’s important that we fund projects like these – and those still to come in future rounds – as we support farmers to deliver sustainable food production and protect the environment.

    Innovation, research and development will help keep the sector at the cutting edge of technology as we look into the future.

    Katrina Hayter, Interim Executive Director Healthy Living & Agriculture, Innovate UK, said:

    These projects have all demonstrated not only an innovative solution to a real-life, on-farm problem, but also the value of partnerships and collaboration between different sector experts. For novel technology to truly succeed, it needs the input of the farmers themselves for the day-to-day realities of its use.

    We’re really pleased that these partnerships have this idea at their core, and we now look forward to working with them as they develop their solutions further and bring the benefits to life.

    Successful projects

    The Agri-Opencore project, led by APS Produce, has been awarded over £3.8m to accelerate the delivery of robotic crop systems for horticulture. With labour shortages affecting the horticulture sector around the world, there are huge opportunities to reduce costs and labour requirements. The funding will help the project create the world’s first open development platform (software and hardware) for agri-robotic crop harvesting. The open development platform will enable multiple organisations to contribute, allowing cross-sector collaboration and demonstration of technologies on English farms. It is hoped that the project will help to accelerate the adoption of robotic picking by two years.

    Phil Pearson, from APS Produce, said:

    The AGRI-OPENCORE robotics project is an exciting, and vital project for the fresh produce industry. It promises to deliver the significant progress required to automate fresh produce harvesting in the UK. As this work brings leading technology providers, Dogtooth, Xihelm and Wootzano, with the academic excellence of the University of Lincoln team, we can expect significant progress towards autonomous harvesting.

    The AG ARC project, led by Garnett Farm Engineering, has been awarded over £2.5m towards the development of an autonomous cow cubicle bedding unit. Cow comfort is a key factor in reducing the chances of cows suffering from mastitis, a fatal inflammation of their mammary gland, with dry and clean bedding and careful management of cubicles being vital. Currently, this must be done manually by farmers, but this project will develop an intelligent robotic cubicle bedder to monitor and respond to key sensor data to optimise dispensing of bedding. This will help to boost cow health and welfare, improve farm productivity and reduce costs through efficient use of bedding.

    Andrew Garnett, of AG Products, said:

    We look forward to collaborating with the University of Liverpool on this exciting project to further enhance our cattle bedding solutions to farmers, improving cow welfare and productivity. Our passion for innovation has seen the recent launch of the AG Duo; the AG ARC will further revolutionise the industry’s approach to cattle bedding..

    The Potato-LITE project has been awarded £2,830,000 to explore optimised systems for potato cultivation. Current systems require the soil to be cultivated to create a deep and uniform seedbed, free from stones and clods, to provide a favourable environment for potato growth. Whilst reduced tillage technologies have enabled regenerative agriculture in cereal systems, this technology has not been developed for the production of potatoes and other root crops. Potato-LITE will transform potato tillage through developing new cultivation equipment and systems, delivered through a leading partnership between food manufacturers (PepsiCo and McCain), a machinery manufacturer (Grimme), growers (Strawson Ltd, JRO Griffiths, H Sutton & Son and JM Bubb & Son) and research organisations (Cranfield University, Harper Adams University and CHAP). The project focuses on reducing the depth, intensity and number of operations required, which will improve soil health and reduce the environmental impact of potato production whilst also reducing costs, making the £824 million potato sector more resilient and sustainable.

    Shaunagh Slack, Project Lead for Potato-LITE, Regen Ag Scientist, Agricultural Science, PepsiCo, said:

    At PepsiCo, agriculture is core to our business and we believe that sustainable agricultural practices are pivotal in protecting and enhancing our natural resources. Through Potato-LITE, we have a unique opportunity to form a leading industry and academic partnership to transform potato tillage and quantify the benefits on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions.  This four year research project will enable the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices among UK farming communities as we work towards a net zero future.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Genetic Technology Act key tool for UK food security [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Genetic Technology Act key tool for UK food security [March 2023]

    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.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Single case of atypical BSE confirmed on a farm in Cornwall [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Single case of atypical BSE confirmed on a farm in Cornwall [March 2023]

    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.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government supports new Ofwat powers to tackle water company dividends [March 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government supports new Ofwat powers to tackle water company dividends [March 2023]

    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 government has today (20 March) backed new plans for the water regulator Ofwat to take action against water companies that pay out dividends to their shareholders despite failing to meet the required performance standards.

    The changes have been made possible by the government’s Environment Act 2021 which gave Ofwat new powers to change water company licences without consent from water companies.

    As such, Ofwat is now modifying licences to require companies to:

    • Take account of environmental performance and customer delivery when deciding whether to pay dividends.
    • Hold a strong credit rating and stop them paying dividends if their financial health is at risk.

    If a company falls short, Ofwat will be able to take enforcement action.

    These changes will improve the environmental performance and financial health of water companies, as well as providing greater transparency with customers and stakeholders.

    Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

    It is wrong for water companies to be responsible for environmental damage and poor performance but not face the penalties. It has been happening too often and it needs to stop.

    These new powers, made possible through our Environment Act, will enable Ofwat to clamp down on excessive cash pay-outs and make sure companies put customers first. This will apply when a company is not meeting expectations on performance or is facing questions over its financial resilience – and ultimately means we go further in holding water companies to account.

    The government has taken further action in recent years to hold water companies to account for pollution, including:

    • Hugely increasing monitoring of discharges, from approximately 10% of storm overflows monitored in 2015 to 100% by the end of this year. While storm overflows have existed for over a century, the government was the first to require water companies to comprehensively monitor so that the issue can be tackled.
    • Making it easier and quicker for regulators to enforce civil penalties for companies that breach their licence conditions, with a consultation set to launch in the spring. Funding from all penalties and fines will also now be invested in schemes that benefit our natural environment.
    • Securing record fines for water companies that break the law. Since 2015, the Environment Agency has secured fines of over £142m through criminal proceedings.
    • Publishing the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, which will require water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history – £56 billion capital investment over 25 years. Water companies are already investing £3.1 billion in storm overflow improvements between 2020 and 2025. This includes £1.9 billion investment into the Thames Tideway Tunnel super sewer, with the rest used to undertake over 800 investigations and over 800 improvement schemes to storm overflows.
    • Demanding a clear assessment and action plan on every storm overflow from every water and sewerage company in England, prioritising those that are spilling more than a certain number of times a year, and those spilling into bathing waters and high priority nature sites.

    The majority of licence changes will be implemented eight weeks after publication – by 17 May 2023.