Technical advice line: 03000 200 301 | Email: advice@farmingadviceservice.org.uk

Rules & Regulations

The Farming Advice Service helps farmer understand the legal requirements in English law which they must follow to protect people, livestock and the environment.

On this page you will find FAS content on the rules and regulations set by Defra which include legislation regarding:

  • Keeping livestock (animal health and welfare and protecting the environment)
  • Land management (including protection of landscape features)
  • Use of pest control products
  • Product application onto land
  • Production of plant and seed varieties
  • Management of trees and water
  • Waste disposal
  • Production of compost, biogas, fertiliser and animal feed 
FAS website on laptop

Useful Links:

Technical Articles

Newsletters

  • Front page of FAS August 2024 newsletter

    Issue 102

    • Defra Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024
    • Understanding the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023 annual declaration
    • Update on Sustainable Farming Incentive and Defra’s agri-environment schemes
    • Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF): On farm climate strategies and Working with a beef farm example
    • Trees on farms: Trees on farms: Agroforestry Plan and Eight toothed spruce bark beetle tree pest found on new species for the first time
  • Newsletter front page with contact details

    Issue 101

    • Ditch maintenance
    • Trees on farms: New resources on Woodland Carbon, Tree Health Pilot and Felling trees on your farm
    • How Catchment Sensitive Farming and the Environment Agency work in partnership to support farmers
    • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) regulations: getting permission to make changes to your land
    • Environment Agency urges farmers to start preparations for winter slurry storage
  • June newsletter crop page crop field

    Issue 100

    • Farm Safety Week 2024 22–26 July
    • Hedgerow management rules: cutting and trimming – exemptions when sowing oilseed rape or temporary grass in August
    • LEAF Open Farm Sunday: Bringing farming to the fore
    • Trees on farms – Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) Warning and Join the Forestry Commission to help keep our trees and the countryside healthy
    • Latest SFI opportunities for farmers
  • May newsletter front page farm road and stone wall

    Issue 99

    • Directory of farmer support organisations – here to help the farming community
    • New technical articles available on the FAS website: Soil health in UK farming
    • Expanding the Sustainable Farming Incentive Offer
    • The Management of Hedgerows Regulations 2024
    • Trees on farms: Five benefits of planting trees on less productive land / Do you know how to spot ash dieback on your land?

Podcast

  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 7

    Nutrient Management with Mel Holloway

    16 mins
  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 5

    Meet the Farming Advice Service Helpline Team

    21 mins
  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 4

    Livestock movement and ID, with Laura Harpham and Ian Cairns

    25 mins

Upcoming Events

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Webinar Recordings

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