Easy Access to DEFRA Rules for Farmers and Land Managers

New Search options for the legal rules that apply when you keep livestock or managing land have been launched on 27th March 2023. Once you have found the rules that apply to your farm, contact NIAB to sign up to have a farm assessment and a NIAB, Savills or AKC farm consultant can help you navigate the funds available and how to apply.

There are legal requirements around certain farming activities to protect people, livestock and the environment. The rules in cross compliance still apply and you must follow those rules on your holding to receive rural payments in full.

Livestock

• Register land you use to keep livestock

• Get a temporary land association (TLA) or temporary county parish holding (CPH) number

• Register to keep poultry

• Keeping cattle, bison and buffalo in England and Wales

• Protect the public from cattle kept on land

• Keeping sheep, goats, pigs and deer

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Protect animal health and welfare

• Protect animal welfare on farm and in transport

• Produce safe-to-eat food for humans or animals

• Report notifiable diseases in animals

• Bovine TB: get your cattle tested in England

• Responsible use of animal medicines on the farm

• Keeping horses

• Keeping horses commercially

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Protect the environment if you keep livestock

• Environmental permits for intensive pig or poultry farming

• Make sure animal activities do not damage soil

• Store organic manures in nitrate vulnerable zones

• Store slurry, silage and agricultural fuel oil safely

• Fallen stock and safe disposal of dead animals

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Manage land that you own or occupy

• Manage farming and horticultural activities to prevent soil erosion and water pollution

• Public rights of way: landowner responsibilities

• Open access land: management, rights and responsibilities

• Coastal margin: management, rights and responsibilities

• Sites of special scientific interest: manage sites you own or occupy

• Heather and grass burning: rules and when you need a licence

• Change or improve rural land: check if you need to apply for an Environmental Impact Assessment

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Use pest control products

• Register as a professional user of plant protection products

• Use, transport or store pesticides safely

• Code of practice for using plant protection products: what you legally have to do

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Apply products to your land

• Plan your use of fertiliser or manure to reduce water pollution

• Nitrate vulnerable zones: rules when you use fertilisers or store manure

• Use sewage sludge on your land

• Waste exemption: spread waste to benefit your land

• Burning crop residues: restrictions and rules for farmers and land managers

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Produce plant varieties and seeds

• Plant breeders rights: national listing of plant varieties, seed certification and farm saved seed

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Change to organic farming

• Organic farming: how to get certified and apply for funding

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Protect landscape features

• Hedgerows: find out if you can remove or carry out work

• Get permission before you work on scheduled monuments

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Manage trees and woodland

• A guide to planning new woodland in England

• Tree felling overview

• Tree pests and diseases

• Plan woodland projects: check if you need to apply for an Environmental Impact Assessment

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Manage water

• Maintain watercourses and understand permissions you need to work around them

• Check if you need a licence to abstract water

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Manage and dispose of waste

• Manage waste on land: guidance for land managers

• Discharges to surface water and groundwater: environmental permits

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Make compost, biogas, fertiliser or animal feed

• Guidance for the animal by-products industry

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Import, export or distribute animals and food

• Importing live animals or animal products

• Exporting live animals or animal products

• Import eggs to Great Britain

• Export eggs from Great Britain

• Import hatching eggs and chicks to Great Britain

• Export hatching eggs and chicks from Great Britain

• Export or move animal feed or pet food

• Export or move food, drink and agricultural products