Regulator profile

DEFRA

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Policy Department England

What DEFRA does

Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies (EA, NE) on implementation. Oversees animal health and welfare standards.

Policy department - implementation via Environment Agency, Natural England, APHA, RPA. Scotland, Wales, NI have devolved equivalents.

AgricultureAnimal WelfareEnvironmental PolicyFisheries

Contact DEFRA

Official guidance from DEFRA

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

Extended producer responsibility for packaging who is affected and what to do (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Comply with UK REACH (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance (DEFRA 2012) (opens in a new tab)

Publication

Pollution prevention for businesses (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Simpler Recycling guidance (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Animal by-products: categories, approval, hygiene and disposal (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Check if you need to pay a Clean Air Zone charge (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Farming Rules for Water guidance (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

View all 257 guidance documents (opens in a new tab)

Legislation that DEFRA directly enforces.

Primary legislation

Dogs Act 1871 Plant Health Act 1967 Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 Agriculture Act 1970 (Part IV - Seeds) Conservation of Seals Act 1970 Animal Health Act 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984 Agriculture Act 1986 Environmental Protection Act 1990 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Deer Act 1991 Water Resources Act 1991 Protection of Badgers Act 1992 Clean Air Act 1993 Environment Act 1995 Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997 Pesticides Act 1998 Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 Animal Welfare Act 2006 Agriculture Act 2020 Fisheries Act 2020 Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 Environment Act 2021 (enhancement)

Secondary legislation

Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 Disease Control (England) Order 2003 Water Resources (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003 The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006 Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 Cattle Identification Regulations 2007 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 The Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 2011

… and 14 more statutory instruments.

Legislation connected to DEFRA’s remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.

Administered / monitored

Horticulture Act 1960 UK Act of Parliament AHA 1986 UK Act of Parliament The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Upper Thames Tributaries) Designation Order 1994 UK Statutory Instrument The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Upper Thames Tributaries) Designation (Amendment) Order 1996 UK Statutory Instrument The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Upper Thames Tributaries) Designation (Amendment) Order 1998 UK Statutory Instrument The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Upper Thames Tributaries) Designation (Amendment) Order 1999 UK Statutory Instrument Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 UK Act of Parliament Water Act 2014 UK Act of Parliament Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 UK Statutory Instrument Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments ) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 UK Statutory Instrument The Environment Agency (Upper Black Moss and Lower Black Moss Reservoirs) Drought Order 2022 UK Statutory Instrument Animals (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2023 UK Statutory Instrument Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2023 UK Statutory Instrument Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2025 UK Statutory Instrument Environmental Permitting (Electricity Generating Stations) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 UK Statutory Instrument

… and 2 more.

Referenced in enforcement

Agriculture (Scotland) Act 1948, Schedule 5 UK Act of Parliament Forestry Act 1967, Section 9 UK Act of Parliament Forestry (Exceptions from Restriction of Felling) Regulations 1979 UK Statutory Instrument The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (No. 2) Regulations 1987 UK Statutory Instrument The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations 1987 UK Statutory Instrument The Highways (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 UK Statutory Instrument The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations 1988 UK Statutory Instrument The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 UK Statutory Instrument Food Safety Act 1990 UK Act of Parliament The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations 1990 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (Amendment) Regulations 1990 UK Statutory Instrument The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1992 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 UK Statutory Instrument The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 UK Statutory Instrument

… and 69 more.

Other publications

16 additional documents from DEFRA.

Apply for a building assessment certificate (opens in a new tab)

Published 15 January 2024

Make off-site biodiversity gains as a developer (opens in a new tab)

Published 29 November 2023

Make on-site biodiversity gains as a developer (opens in a new tab)

Published 29 November 2023

Introduction to national infrastructure planning (opens in a new tab)

Published 12 October 2023

Register your business as a building control approver (opens in a new tab)

Published 10 October 2023

View all 16 documents (opens in a new tab)

Sectors regulated

Agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and petsEnvironment

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