FiPL spotlight: the Central Dartmoor Farm Cluster
In the latest Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) project spotlight, I shine a light on the work of the Central Dartmoor Farm Cluster.
Updated: Tue Apr 23 2024
Coverage of the UK-wide ban on wet wipes containing plastic
There has been coverage, including in the Telegraph, Sky News, The Independent, Daily Mail, The Times and The Mirror of the publication of the government response to our consultation on a ban on plastic-containing wet wipes. Today's announcement sets out the next steps to ban the sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic across the UK.
Updated: Mon Apr 22 2024
Coverage about upcoming border checks
Today's blog outlines the government response to recent inaccurate coverage on upcoming border checks
Updated: Fri Apr 19 2024
Webinar follow up: uplands
On Wednesday 27 March, we held a webinar on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) schemes for upland farmers. In this post, we summarise what we covered and include links for you to learn more.
Updated: Mon Apr 15 2024
Trees and biodiversity net gain on small sites
Amanda Newsome, Biodiversity Net Gain Advisor and Jim Smith, Urban Forestry Advisor at the Forestry Commission explore how integrating trees into new developments can contribute towards delivering biodiversity net gain.
Updated: Thu Apr 11 2024
Farming rules for water: The importance of Nutrient Management Planning in farming
Following last week's blog about soil testing, we're now looking at another area where we often find issues during a farm inspection - nutrient management planning. Around 30% of farms we inspected last year weren't able to provide evidence of ...
Updated: Wed Apr 10 2024
Tools and information to support the delivery of nutrient mitigation published
We are pleased to share a couple of products published to support the delivery of nutrient mitigation schemes across the country. These include our improved Nutrient Neutrality Budget Calculators and a page of technical Information on Nature-Based Solutions as Nutrient ...
Updated: Mon Apr 08 2024
Biodiversity Net Gain: guest insights on planning BNG for small sites
Welcome to our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) guest blog, featuring industry experts sharing their top tips. They are: Julia Baker, Technical Director, Nature Services, Mott MacDonald Isabelle Carter, Regional Director and Landscape Architect, Stride Treglown Emma Toovey, Chief Ecology Officer, ...
Updated: Thu Apr 04 2024
The publication of the Common User Charge rates
Today we look at coverage following the government's publication of the Common User Charge rates and guidance
Updated: Thu Apr 04 2024
Beware the criminals lurking online
The modern way to find many of the services, trades, and products we need to buy is to look online. It's quick, easy and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. But it is a minefield ...
Updated: Wed Apr 03 2024
Defra's response to coverage on Thames Water
Today's blog covers Defra's response to media coverage on Thames Water.
Updated: Thu Mar 28 2024
Why we're putting area limits on some SFI actions
Since we opened the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for applications, we've continued to refine the scheme. One of the things we've been monitoring is the impact of those actions which take land out of food production. In this post, we'll explain why we're putting area limits on some SFI actions.
Updated: Thu Mar 28 2024
Animal Health and Welfare grants now available
You can now apply for an Animal Health and Welfare grant through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024. These grants go towards the cost of items on a list that support animal health and welfare. We developed the list with farmers, vets and other experts. There are over 130 items on the list and 29 are new for this round. You'll see a range of items: from mobile cattle handling systems to enclosed piglet creeps to poultry perches. If you're a livestock farmer, it's worth taking a look.
Updated: Wed Mar 20 2024
Farming Equipment and Technology Fund: improving productivity and slurry management grants available
I am pleased to say you can now apply for a productivity and slurry management grant through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF). In this post, I'll set out the process to apply, links to the guidance and details of an upcoming webinar to learn more.
Updated: Wed Mar 13 2024
Coverage of fairer labelling consultation launch
Today we are looking at coverage following the launch of our fairer food labelling consultation.
Updated: Tue Mar 12 2024
Harnessing the hidden power of restored saltmarshes for carbon capture
A recent collaboration involving the Environment Agency, the environmental consultancy Jacobs and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) is shining a light on the role of restored saltmarshes in storing blue carbon - carbon captured by the oceans and coastal ecosystems. The ...
Updated: Fri Mar 01 2024
Strengthening Sri Lanka's preparedness to respond to oiled wildlife emergencies
Written by Jamie Small, from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), on behalf of JNCC and Cefas, The UK government's Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) team share updates on oiled wildlife response training recently delivered in Sri Lanka. JNCC and ...
Updated: Thu Feb 29 2024
Environment Officer Joseph Holder explains how weekly beach walkovers and inspections are helping to improve Weston-supe
The Environment Agency conducts weekly sampling during the bathing water season, which spans from May to September. Across the UK, there are 424 designated bathing water sites, 49 of these sit within Wessex. Each one of these sites is ...
Updated: Wed Feb 28 2024
Farming Podcast: making SFI work on our upland beef and sheep farm
In this episode of the Defra Farming podcast, regional engagement lead Michael Sturla talks to Robin and Christopher Milton. The father and son team farm beef and sheep on the Exmoor uplands and have a Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreement. They describe their experience applying for an agreement, the actions they're undertaking and the benefits.
Updated: Tue Feb 27 2024
Waste criminals - we've got you in our sights
By Joanna Larmour, deputy director of the Environment Agency's National Enforcement Service Waste crime has been going on for too long - and the Environment Agency is taking action. That's why we're committing more resources than ever to find, identify ...
Updated: Tue Feb 27 2024
XL Bully registrations
We look at the latest number of XL Bullies registered with an exemption scheme in England and Wales.
Updated: Tue Feb 27 2024
Media coverage on reforms to waste electricals regulations
Media coverage on reforms to waste electricals regulations There has been coverage over the weekend (Sunday 25 February) on our consultation on reforming the producer responsibility system for electrical waste. On 28 December 2023, the UK Government, along with ...
Updated: Mon Feb 26 2024
Mayflower Pontoons provide new base for charter and recreational anglers in Plymouth
Cattewater Harbour Commissioners (CHC) has officially opened of the Mayflower Pontoons, an extension to the Barbican Landing Stage (BLS) facilities in Plymouth. Supported by a £150,000 grant awarded through MMO's Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, this project improves the port infrastructure ...
Updated: Fri Feb 23 2024
Watch: webinar for tenant farmers
On Thursday 8 February, we hosted a webinar for tenant farmers. In the session, we gave an overview of the actions and payments available through our environmental land management schemes in 2024. This post includes the recording of the webinar.
Updated: Fri Feb 23 2024
Coverage of the Government's announcements at the NFU conference to support British farmers
There has been widespread coverage of the Prime Minister and Environment Secretary's announcement on a range of new measures to ensure all farmers and producers are treated fairly Government underlines commitment to British farmers.
Updated: Wed Feb 21 2024