Blogs

Starting 1st November 2023, a new environmental principles duty has taken effect, marking a crucial milestone in embedding environmental considerations into government policy-making.

Defra and the Forestry Commission have announced substantial funding enhancements for two major forestry land management schemes - the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) and Countryside Stewardship (CS).

The government has unveiled plans to secure continued access to essential pesticides for the country's farmers and growers. These plans, formulated in response to feedback from the farming industry, aim to provide stability, reduce input costs, and support resilient and profitable food production.

The UK government has announced the opening of the eighth round of the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund on October 23, 2023

In this guide, we'll walk you through the key details and steps to prepare for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), a program designed to support your farm business while promoting sustainable practices.

As part of Defra’s efforts to protect hedgerows in England, they launched a consultation in June to gather your views and suggestions. The consultation will close on 20 September, so there is still time for you to have your say and help shape the future of hedgerow policy. 

The Scottish Government has announced that it intends to bring forward amendments to the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill to ban the use of snares in Scotland.

The inaugural Agriculture Act to emerge from Wales has officially received Royal Assent. While the national headlines of the Act are about the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), those in the gamekeeping and conservation communities have been dealt a huge blow with the banning of all snares, including the GWCT-devised humane cable restraint.

GWCT are advising all shoots planning to release gamebirds on or within 500m of a Special Protection Area this summer to apply for a licence without delay. 

Starting July next year, the legal authorisation for using bromadiolone and difenacoum, the only two second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) currently allowed in open areas and waste dumps, will be withdrawn.