What this covers (4 activity descriptions)
  • Pig farming
  • Pig raising and breeding
  • Swine farming
  • Swine raising and breeding

What you must comply with

Unique to raising of swinepigs

licensing

Pig movement licence (eAML2)

Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 2011
England

All pig movements require an electronic Animal Movement Licence (eAML2). 20-day standstill applies after receiving pigs (some exemptions for slaughter). Report movements to APHA within 3 days.

registration

Pig identification (ear tags/slap marks)

Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 2011
England

Pigs must be identified with ear tag or tattoo before leaving holding of birth. Herd mark allocated by APHA. Walking stick marks accepted for pigs going direct to slaughter from birth holding.

inspection

Swill feeding ban (Animal By-Products Regulations)

Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013
England

Illegal to feed catering waste, kitchen scraps or any food containing or that has been in contact with meat or fish to pigs. Introduced after 2001 FMD outbreak. Offence carries unlimited fine.

reporting

AHDB Pork levy

Agriculture Act 1967
England

Statutory levy collected by AHDB Pork on all pigs slaughtered in England. Producer levy and slaughterer/exporter levy. Funds research, marketing and market intelligence.

inspection

Welfare of Farmed Animals (pigs)

Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007
England

Schedule 1 (general) and Schedule 8 (pig-specific). Covers space allowances, environmental enrichment, sow stall ban, tail docking restrictions. Routine inspections by APHA.

Applies to all animal production

registration

County Parish Holding (CPH) number registration

RPA
One_Off

All land used for keeping livestock, or land that receives organic manure, must have a CPH number. Apply via Rural Payments Agency (England), RPID (Scotland), RPW (Wales). Separate systems in each devolved nation.

inspection

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

HSE
Ongoing

General duties to employees and others. Agriculture is one of the highest-risk sectors — farm fatality rate is 20x the all-industry average. HSENI enforces in Northern Ireland.

reporting

RIDDOR 2013 (farm accident reporting)

HSE
Ongoing

Must report work-related deaths, specified injuries, over-7-day incapacitation, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. Self-employed persons working on agricultural premises are covered.

insurance

Employers' Liability Insurance

HSE
Annual

Required for all employers. Sole traders and family farms with no employees exempt.

permit

Environmental permit / farming waste exemptions

Ongoing

Most farms register waste exemptions (e.g. U10 spreading waste to benefit agricultural land, T4 preparatory treatments). Separate regimes: SEPA (Scotland), NRW (Wales), DAERA (Northern Ireland).

inspection

Cross-compliance / SFI conditionality

RPA
Annual

Farms claiming BPS/SFI/CS payments must meet Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and keep land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC). RPA conducts cross-compliance inspections. Scotland and Wales have separate schemes (RPID/RPW).

permit

Red diesel entitlement (rebated fuel)

Ongoing

Agriculture retains red diesel entitlement for off-road vehicles and machinery. Must keep fuel records. Misuse (e.g. road vehicles) carries penalties up to £500 per offence plus duty owed.

Guidance for this activity

Prepare for farm inspections and audits

How to prepare for regulatory inspections and farm assurance audits. Covers which bodies inspect farms, what triggers inspections, your rights during visits, and how to build a good compliance track record that can reduce inspection frequency.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Identify and tag livestock correctly

Legal requirements for identifying and tagging cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer. Includes species-specific tagging deadlines, tag specifications, passport requirements, and replacement rules.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Host weddings and events on your farm

How to set up and run a farm wedding or event venue. Covers planning permission, licensing, fire safety, insurance, and food safety requirements for converting agricultural buildings to event spaces.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Commercial fishing licence and compliance

How to get a commercial fishing licence and comply with UK fishing regulations. Covers vessel licensing, quota allocation, catch recording, I-VMS requirements, and fish export certificates.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Keep holding registers for livestock

Legal requirements for recording livestock identification, movements, births, deaths, and annual inventories. Covers cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer with species-specific deadlines and retention periods.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Recognise and report notifiable animal diseases

How to identify signs of notifiable diseases in livestock and report suspected cases to APHA. Covers bovine TB, avian influenza, foot-and-mouth, swine fever, and other notifiable diseases with immediate reporting requirements.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Agricultural tenancy rights in Scotland

Comprehensive guide to agricultural tenancy law in Scotland, covering both the 1991 Act (pre-2003 secure tenancies) and 2003 Act (SLDT, LDT, MLT) tenancy types. Includes rent review procedures, notice periods, succession rights, waygoing compensation, and Scottish Land Court jurisdiction.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Set up camping or glamping on your farm

How to comply with planning permission, licensing, and safety requirements when offering camping or glamping on agricultural land. Covers the 60-day exemption, caravan site licensing, and glamping-specific regulations.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

SFI closure and transition to future farming schemes

What the SFI closure means for farmers and how to plan for the transition. Covers what happens to existing agreements, options during the closure period, the reformed SFI 2026 offer, and alternative funding including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Capital Grants. Essential guidance for farmers affected by the March 2025 SFI closure.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Comply with farming environmental regulations

How to comply with environmental regulations for fertiliser storage and application, pesticide use, cross-compliance standards, and nutrient management planning. Covers Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, BASIS certification, GAEC standards, and RB209 nutrient planning.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Set up and run a compliant farm shop

How to register, comply with food safety, and handle VAT when selling produce directly from your farm. Covers food business registration, HACCP requirements, and VAT treatment of different products.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Register land to keep livestock

How to obtain a County Parish Holding (CPH) number before keeping cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, or poultry. Includes registration process, required information, and herd/flock mark allocation.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Install renewable energy on your farm

How to get planning permission and financial support for solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy on agricultural land. Covers permitted development limits, agricultural land classification, and the Smart Export Guarantee.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Comply with Farming Rules for Water

How to comply with the 8 Farming Rules for Water that apply to all farmers in England. Covers planning fertiliser applications, soil testing requirements, buffer zones near water, prohibited spreading conditions, manure storage, livestock management, soil erosion prevention, and enforcement by the Environment Agency.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

Prepare for the end of BPS delinked payments

What farmers need to know as delinked payments end in 2027. Covers payment reduction schedules (76% in 2025, 98% in 2026-2027), reference amount calculations, key dates, and how to replace lost income through Environmental Land Management schemes and other funding options.

Sector-Specific
Read guide

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