Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

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.

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

• His Majesty The King will visit the Animal and Plant Health Agency today in Weybridge.
• Staff and scientists to be congratulated for their work combatting the avian influenza outbreak in the UK and support with Ukrainian refugee pet travel.
• Weybridge is renowned for its specialist research and laboratory facilities, and its world-leading animal and plant health science and disease control capabilities.

His Majesty The King will today (Thursday 9th March) visit the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) in Weybridge to congratulate scientists and staff for their work in combating the largest-ever avian influenza outbreak in the UK.

There have been over 330 cases of avian influenza confirmed across the country since October 2021.

APHA’s world-leading scientists and staff have played vital role in supporting avian influenza diagnostics and disease control. Their work to tackle the outbreak helps protect animal and public health but also supports our international trading relationships.

His Majesty The King will undertake a full tour which will involve briefings on some of most difficult animal health diseases the world faces including avian influenza and bovine TB as well as plant health challenges including invasive non-native species. He will visit dedicated specialist research laboratories to see genome mapping and a mosquito laboratory where he will learn about APHA’s vector-borne disease (VBD) programme.

Ahead of attending the visit, Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs, said:

“The Animal and Plant Health Agency has a long-standing reputation for excellence in the field of biosecurity and the work it does to protect the UK from animal diseases, which in turn supports our economy and food security.

“I’m pleased we can use today to showcase our specialist world leading facilities.”

Also ahead of attending the visit, Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said:

“Today’s visit really is about recognising the last 18 months of remarkable work and the APHA staff who have worked day in and day out to help control and manage the spread of avian influenza.

“The scale of avian influenza outbreaks across the UK and Europe has been unprecedented and our response has been underpinned by the world-leading science and disease control work carried out at Weybridge.”

David Holdsworth, Chief Executive Officer of APHA, said:

“APHA staff work tirelessly day in day out to protect the UK, its people and economy from the growing biosecurity threats we face. They have faced a relentless battle against Avian Influenza over the last two years. So I am pleased to welcome His Majesty The King to Weybridge to meet with APHA staff from Scotland, Wales and England and see first-hand the incredible work they do.

“I am proud to showcase our world-leading scientists, field teams and staff and the role they play in protecting the country.”

The Government is committed to the strongest possible standards of protection against animal diseases and is investing in the long-term future of the Weybridge facility, including £1.4bn of funding for the Science Capability in Animal Health Programme. The investment is in recognition of the vital work APHA does to contribute to our economic and food security.

Alongside the Government’s continued investment in the Avian Influenza National Reference Laboratory and APHA’s Weybridge site, Defra and the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council (BBSRC) fund an eight-strong consortium ‘FluMap’ led by APHA that received £1.5 million in funding to develop new strategies to tackle avian influenza outbreaks.

His Majesty The King will also meet APHA staff who were instrumental in helping those fleeing from Ukraine to safely bring their pets into the UK. APHA staff worked tirelessly to enable Ukrainians to bring much loved family pets with them to the UK while keeping the country safe from diseases such as rabies.

The UK has some of the highest biosecurity standards in the world. We have taken swift action to protect poultry from the threat of avian influenza. Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZs) are in force across the UK with additional mandatory housing measures in force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These enhanced biosecurity measures which apply to all bird keepers have been vital in successfully protecting flocks across the country from avian influenza.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 March 2023.

Defra to consult on registration rules for bird keepers in Great Britain.

• Views sought on new registration rules for all bird keepers in Great Britain.
• New rules would require all bird keepers to register their birds and update information annually.
• Proposal is part of government action to tackle avian influenza.

Proposals to require all poultry keepers to officially register their birds were launched by the government today (7 March) as part of efforts to tackle avian influenza.

The new rules would apply to all keepers, no matter how many birds they have. At present only those who keep 50 birds or more are required by law to do so. They would also be required to update their information on an annual basis.

By registering their birds with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), keepers will ensure they receive important updates such as any local avian influenza outbreaks and information on biosecurity rules to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian influenza.

This will enable the government to communicate with bird keepers quickly, to manage potential disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza, and limit the spread.

The new rules would cover owners of backyard flocks, birds of prey and pigeon fanciers, but would not affect pet birds kept entirely inside a domestic dwelling, such as a parrot or budgie kept in a cage indoors which never leaves the property other than to visit a vet or another short-term period.

In a joint statement the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales said:

“These proposals will enable us to have a full picture of the number and location of birds kept across Great Britain and make it easier to track and manage the spread of avian disease.

“This information will also help inform future risk assessments and maintain our commitment to continually building our extensive avian influenza research portfolio.”

British Poultry Council Chief Executive said:

“We welcome this consultation as a means of ensuring the GB poultry register is fit to support Government and industry efforts in mitigating the ongoing impacts of avian influenza. Registering your poultry is an effective way of monitoring and controlling the spread of disease to protect the national flock. We, as ever, urge all poultry keepers to remain vigilant for signs of avian influenza in their birds.”

The consultation proposals take forward the recommendation from the 2018 Dame Glenys Stacey Review and lessons identified from the 2021/2022 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak and previous HPAI outbreaks.

Bird keepers will need to provide information including their contact details, the location where birds are kept and details of the birds (species, number and what they are kept for).

A 12-week joint GB-wide consultation will run until 31 May.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 March 2023.

Defra to consult on proposed measures to ban industrial sandeel fishing within UK waters.

Kittiwakes, puffins and razorbills are some of England’s most treasured seabirds that could benefit from proposed measures to ban sandeel fishing, Defra has announced today (Tuesday 7 March).

The announcement comes ahead of a new 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 sandeels for our puffin population.

Sandeels are small, eel like fish that are a vital food source to vulnerable seabirds, commercially important fish species such as haddock and whiting, and sea mammals including seals and whales.

Yet sandeel numbers are under pressure from industrial fishing in the North Sea. Without effective management measures, this threatens marine ecosystems and poses a risk to the breeding success and population resilience of UK seabirds – most notably, kittiwakes.

According to experts at Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, seabird abundance could increase within 10 years as a result of the full banning of industrial sandeel fishing in UK waters.

Defra has today launched a consultation on proposed management measures for sandeel fishing within English waters, with the aim to reduce further negative impacts on important marine biodiversity.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

Britain’s seabirds are beautiful to observe and a treasured part of our coastal environment and their existence and ways of life are crucial to the wider health of our marine ecosystems.

This consultation is an important step in securing their protection and delivering our commitment in the Environment Improvement Plan to halt the decline of nature and allow wildlife to thrive”.

Katie-jo Luxton, Director for Conservation at the RSPB said:

This is huge news for the UK’s efforts to save our iconic seabirds. Decades of increasing ‘human-induced’ pressures in our busy seas have left our seabirds in a precarious state, and a ban on industrial trawling for sandeels would throw our most threatened seabirds a lifeline in the face of mounting pressures in our seas.

This is a crucial moment; after last year’s devastating outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu and with major new offshore energy developments planned, there is an urgent need to build the resilience of our seabird colonies as well as helping to rebuild the overall health of the North Sea for all marine wildlife. Defra are to be congratulated in coming forward with this consultation, which is a vital first step in securing the UK-wide ban our seabirds need.

The consultation, which will run for 12 weeks until 29 May, builds on the government’s commitments as part of the Environmental Improvement Plan to bring a halt to the decline in our biodiversity and allow wildlife to thrive. Under the plan the government will protect 30% of our land and sea for nature and will launch a new multi-million pound Species Survival Fund targeted at protecting our rarest species, from red squirrels to grey seals.

This follows the historic agreement of a global deal for nature reached by the UK and nearly 200 countries at the UN Biodiversity summit last year.

It builds on the work the government is already doing to provide enhanced protections for our marine environment, including the designation of the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters by July this year.

Highly Protected Marine Areas will complement the existing network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) already covering 40% of English waters. The Environmental Improvement Plan also sets targets to drive the recovery of our marine protected areas and the species and habitats within them.

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

The Environment Secretary calls for countries to join together to halt and reverse the loss of nature and protect at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030.

Countries around the globe must join together, raise ambition and act faster to protect and restore nature on both land and sea, Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey has said on World Wildlife Day (3 March).

Following the historic agreement reached at the UN Biodiversity summit last year, the Environment Secretary is attending the Our Ocean conference where she will work with other countries to make this the decade we halt and reverse the loss of nature and protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030. She will also acknowledge the effectiveness of established tools such as CITES convention that celebrates 50 years of protecting endangered species today.

Building on commitments outlined in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan launched last month and progress to protect nature on land, the UK is this week announcing vital funding to boost marine conservation efforts worldwide, fight climate change, and support vulnerable coastal communities.

The UK has renewed support through its ambitious £500 million Blue Planet Fund to protect and restore important marine habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs and seagrasses that play a key role in the fight against climate change. This includes an additional £24 million to the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, and the UK becoming the first donor to the Blue Carbon Action Partnership, committing £4 million to support countries unlock and mobilise finance to protect and restore blue carbon ecosystems.

The Environment Secretary has also announced £45 million to the new ‘Blue Tech Superhighway’ project. From community-led fisheries management enabling local communities to set and monitor their own catches; new seawater farming systems working with species more resilient to warmer waters; through to pioneering approaches to reduce food waste, this investment will support small-scale fishers and aquaculture farmers improve their climate resilience, sustainability and incomes. The project will also encourage collaboration between countries across Asia and Africa to scale action.

This comes as the UK announced it will provide £1.5 million to the Asian Development Bank’s new Blue Pacific Finance Hub to support climate resilient, sustainable blue economies for Pacific Small Island Developing States including developing circular economies to reduce plastic waste and improved fisheries management.

The Environment Secretary, Thérèse Coffey said:

It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of stepping up our efforts to bolster the resilience of the marine environment and, in turn, the economies and communities that depend on it.

At the UN nature summit in Montreal, we made a commitment to manage our whole ocean sustainably and set a target to protect at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. The UK is leading, co-leading, and supporting global coalitions of ambition to drive forward this mission, and I urge countries to come together to deliver coordinated, impactful action on the ground.

She also urged more countries to join forces to tackle the scourge of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, one of the most serious threats to the world’s ocean which equates to approximately 11-19% of reported global fisheries production and leads to losses of roughly $10-23.5 billion in value. IUU fishing undermines efforts to conserve fish stocks, damages marine ecosystems, impacts global food supply chains and threatens coastal communities whose livelihoods rely on sustainable fishing.

The UK, US and Canada launched the world’s first global alliance to tackle IUU fishing last year, with members sharing data and tools to monitor and crack down on this pervasive issue. This builds on progress under the UK-led Blue Belt Ocean Shield programme which uses innovative surveillance techniques to tackle illegal practices in over 4.3 million square kilometres of waters around the UK Overseas Territories.

Since its launch, the Alliance has grown to 16 members, with Norway, Iceland and Korea recently coming onboard. More members will sign up at the Our Ocean conference today, including the EU, Panama and New Zealand.

Thérèse Coffey said:

For too many communities, the threat of IUU fishing looms year after year, as they bear the brunt of the instability and violence that accompanies this serious, organised, transboundary crime.

For marine species, the impact can be devastating and this has a catastrophic effect on the lives of the hundreds of millions of people who depend on fisheries for their livelihoods.

So, we need to accelerate our efforts and scale up. That is a priority for us in the UK –  something we are addressing by improving import controls, sharing more data on vessels, identifying those who profit from IUU fishing, and holding them to account.

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

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 February 2023.

Reporting requirements for the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging come into force today.