Law changes strengthen protection for livestock
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 received Royal Assent today, strengthening legal protections for farmers against livestock worrying.
Farming and Countryside Programme
Farming Profitability Review: recommendations published
The Farming Profitability Review 2025, an independent review led by Baroness Minette Batters, has been published.
Talking farming in 2026
Posted by:
Alice Brown, Posted on:
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Conversations we're having, Farming and Countryside Programme
Over the past year, I’ve been out and about with my team talking to farmers and others across the farming sector — from agents and agronomists to academics and advisers. To help us plan for 2026, we welcome your suggestions on where we should visit.
An update on CSHT and our annual report
Posted by:
The Team, Posted on:
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Countryside Stewardship, Farming and Countryside Programme
The Farming and Countryside Programme’s annual report is out, highlighting how funding has helped farmers, foresters, and land managers support nature, sustainable food, and innovation. In addition to this, guidance for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier applications is available, with the online service opening next week for invited applicants who have completed pre-application advice.
Join our user research panel
Good design starts with listening, which is why we are encouraging farmers in England to join Defra’s Farming and Countryside user research panel.
Capital Grants offer now closed for new applications
This is a short post to let you know that we’ve now fully allocated all available funding for the 2025 round of Capital Grants. The next round of funding will be available in 2026.
Update on the farming budget
In this post, we summarise the government's £5 billion investment in farming. We outline how the funding is allocated across the Farming and Countryside Programme. We also highlight recent updates and future plans.
An update on Capital Grants
Posted by:
Sarah Blatchford, Posted on:
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Categories:
Farming and Countryside Programme, Grants, Things we're doing
Following the temporary closure of the Capital Grants scheme in November 2024, we’re pleased to share that we’ve secured sufficient funding for Capital Grants for 2025/26. This means we can now process the 4,040 completed Capital Grants applications that were on hold.
Dartmoor Land Use Management Group: next steps
In October, we appointed the Independent Chair for the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group (DLUMG), Phil Stocker. In this guest post, Phil shares insights into his role, the published terms of reference, and next steps for the group. Update: 28 January 2025: At the bottom of this post, you'll find details of the membership of …
Advancing work on supply chain fairness
Today, Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, announced that the government will advance work on supply chain fairness by using the fair dealing powers in the Agriculture Act 2020. In this post, we provide background and a summary of what you can expect.
Related content and links
Talk to us
8-9 January at the Oxford Farming Conference and at the Oxford Real Farming Conference.
Livestock disease guidance
Get advice
The Farming Advice Service (FAS) provides 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 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.
