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Dr Julia Wrathall

Dr Julia Wrathall

Dr Julia Wrathall is an applied animal welfare scientist and advocate with extensive experience of working with multiple stakeholders to achieve positive change.

Julia worked nearly 30 years in the RSPCA science team including as Head of Farm Animals and Chief Scientific Officer.

Julia is now an independent animal welfare consultant.

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway: towards a new welfare state for farm animals

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Guest post, Payments to improve animal health and welfare
Dyer's greenweed and resting cattle Genista tinctoria Hampshire

In this guest post, Dr. Julia Wrathall shares her views on the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Julia is an expert in farm welfare and served as the RSPCA's Chief Scientific Officer. She helped to shape species-specific priorities through co-design.

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This blog is managed by Defra’s Farming and Countryside Programme.

On this blog, we explain the reforms to agricultural policy in England.

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New: drafts of further endorsed SFI actions

We’ve published drafts of an additional 14 SFI endorsed actions. Once we take stakeholder feedback on board, we expect these actions to be available from summer 2025.

Funding for farmers, growers and land managers in England

GOV.UK is the place to find official guidance and information.

Funding for farmers, growers and land managers sets out every payment on offer with links to learn more.

Get advice

The Farming Resilience Fund provides free, independent business support to farmers. If you’ve received direct payments since October 2022, you’re eligible. 

The Farming Advice Service (FAS) provide free, confidential advice to farmers and advisers.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) helps farmers in England protect water, air and soil. CSF advisers can provide advice on best practices and specific SFI actions that will benefit your farm business and the environment.

We’ve compiled a list of organisations offering wellbeing support to those in the farming community.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive

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Find out how SFI can work for you.

Webinars in 2025

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BPS and delinked payments

Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in England will be replaced with delinked payments in 2024.

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