Division 01

Farming & Agriculture

132,410 enterprises

Requirements for all farming & agriculture

These requirements apply to all business activities in this division.

Registration England One_Off

County Parish Holding (CPH) number registration

Enforced by RPA

Cattle Identification Regulations 2007; Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 2011

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.

Insurance Great_Britain Annual

Employers' Liability Insurance

Enforced by HSE

Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969; Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998

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

Inspection Great_Britain Ongoing

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Enforced by HSE

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

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 Great_Britain Ongoing

RIDDOR 2013 (farm accident reporting)

Enforced by HSE

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

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.

Permit England_Wales Ongoing

Environmental permit / farming waste exemptions

Enforced by ENVIRONMENT_AGENCY

Environmental Protection Act 1990; Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Most farms register waste exemptions (e.g. U10 spreading waste to benefit agricultural land, T4 preparatory treatments) under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, which applies directly in Wales too — NRW is simply the enforcing regulator there, not a separate legal regime. Scotland has its own separate regime (SEPA, see the Scottish waste authorisation requirement); Northern Ireland is separate again (DAERA).

Permit Scotland Ongoing

Environmental permit / farming waste exemptions (Scotland)

Enforced by SEPA

The Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018

Since 1 November 2025, SEPA authorises waste management activities (including the farm exemptions formerly registered under the Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011, revoked by SSI 2025/165) under the integrated Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 framework, in place of the England and Wales Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 U10/T4 exemption regime.

Inspection England Annual

Cross-compliance / SFI conditionality

Enforced by RPA

Agriculture Act 2020

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) — see the Scottish farm support requirement for the equivalent.

Inspection Scotland Annual

Cross-compliance / conditionality (Scotland)

Enforced by RPID

Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 is the statutory basis for Scottish agricultural support since the phase-out of EU cross-compliance, covering conditions attached to support (s8), eligibility (s16) and checking/enforcing/monitoring support (s18). RPID (Rural Payments and Inspections Division) conducts inspections; detailed conditionality standards are set under regulations made under the Act.

Certification Great_Britain Ongoing

Plant Protection Products (pesticide) regulations

Enforced by HSE

Plant Protection Products Regulations 2011; Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) Regulations 2012

All professional users must hold a specified certificate of competence (PA1/PA2 etc.). Products must be authorised by HSE Chemicals Regulation Division. Spray equipment must be tested every 5 years (NSTS). Pesticide records must be kept.

Permit Uk Ongoing

Red diesel entitlement (rebated fuel)

Enforced by HMRC

Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act 1979

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.

Activities in this division

Growing of sugar cane SIC 01.14 Growing of tobacco SIC 01.15 Growing of citrus fruits SIC 01.23 Mixed farming SIC 01.50 · 28,560 enterprises Raising of sheep and goats SIC 01.45 · 25,485 enterprises Growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds SIC 01.11 · 18,170 enterprises · +3 unique requirements Raising of horses and other equines SIC 01.43 · 15,700 enterprises Raising of dairy cattle SIC 01.41 · 12,595 enterprises · +7 unique requirements Growing of vegetables and melons, roots and tubers SIC 01.13 · 8,695 enterprises · +7 unique requirements Raising of other cattle and buffaloes SIC 01.42 · 6,465 enterprises · +8 unique requirements Support activities for crop production SIC 01.61 · 5,300 enterprises · +2 unique requirements Raising of poultry SIC 01.47 · 2,505 enterprises · +6 unique requirements Support activities for animal production SIC 01.62 · 2,150 enterprises · +2 unique requirements Raising of other animals SIC 01.49 · 1,525 enterprises · +4 unique requirements Raising of swinepigs SIC 01.46 · 1,410 enterprises · +6 unique requirements Growing of fibre crops SIC 01.16 · 955 enterprises Growing of other non-perennial crops SIC 01.19 · 790 enterprises Plant propagation SIC 01.30 · 655 enterprises Growing of pome fruits and stone fruits SIC 01.24 · 640 enterprises Hunting, trapping and related service activities SIC 01.70 · 275 enterprises · +7 unique requirements Growing of other tree and bush fruits and nuts SIC 01.25 · 150 enterprises Growing of other perennial crops SIC 01.29 · 115 enterprises Post-harvest crop activities SIC 01.63 · 85 enterprises Growing of grapes SIC 01.21 · 75 enterprises · +3 unique requirements Raising of camels and camelids SIC 01.44 · 45 enterprises Growing of spices, aromatic, drug and pharmaceutical crops SIC 01.28 · 20 enterprises Seed processing for propagation SIC 01.64 · 20 enterprises Growing of beverage crops SIC 01.27 · 10 enterprises Growing of rice SIC 01.12 · 5 enterprises Growing of tropical and subtropical fruits SIC 01.22 · 5 enterprises Growing of oleaginous fruits SIC 01.26 · 5 enterprises