DEFRA

  • Farming practices add millions to cost of UK food

    Farming practices add millions to cost of UK food

    Unsustainable farming practices are adding hundreds of millions of pounds a year to the cost of UK food production, according to a new study which calls for government policies to restore the environmental health of farmland. The report by Green… Read More

  • Andrea Leadsom’s post-Brexit vision for UK food and farming is clear as mud

    Andrea Leadsom’s post-Brexit vision for UK food and farming is clear as mud

    Listening to Andrea Leadsom address the Oxford Farming Conference on Monday, it was hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for the Defra Secretary of State. It wasn’t just the unfortunate opening observation that farming had been around “as… Read More

  • Fast food giants targeted over antibiotic use

    Fast food giants targeted over antibiotic use

    Campaigners have marked World Antibiotics Awareness Week by calling on KFC, Subway and McDonald’s to end the routine use of antibiotics in their livestock supply chains. The group, which includes Consumers International, ShareAction and The Alliance to Save our Antibiotics,… Read More

  • Government to review health impact of microplastics

    Government to review health impact of microplastics

    The Government has said it plans to review the impact of microplastics on dietary health following an inquiry that called for further research into the potential harm to humans. Microplastics, which can be small pellets found in consumer goods or… Read More

  • Leadsom buoyant on British food prospects

    Leadsom buoyant on British food prospects

    British farmers and food businesses have the opportunity to thrive outside of the European Union, according to the new Environment Secretary. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Andrea Leadsom said she was convinced British farmers, food producers and… Read More

  • Paper cup use could be closer to 5 billion

    Paper cup use could be closer to 5 billion

    The UK could be getting through 5 billion disposable cups every year, which is double the amount previously estimated. “When we started [our scheme] in 2014, we conservatively estimated that 2.5 billion cups were being used each year,” said Simply… Read More

  • Plastic bags, paper cups and Pigouvian taxes

    Plastic bags, paper cups and Pigouvian taxes

    Will a tax on disposable items be Coffey’s cup of tea? Hold the front page: the government has met – nay, exceeded – a waste target. Last month, DEFRA published data on plastic bag use. In the first six months… Read More

  • Government urged to curb pesticide use

    Government urged to curb pesticide use

    The UK Government should use the opportunity created by Brexit to promote greener agricultural practices, including a reduction in pesticide usage, a campaign group has said. Pesticide Action Network –UK (PAN-UK) called on the Government to establish strong regulatory controls… Read More

  • “Fantastic” bag tax results put cups in spotlight

    “Fantastic” bag tax results put cups in spotlight

    England is using six billion fewer single use plastic bags since the introduction of a 5p charge. Data published by Defra over the weekend shows that over 7 billion carrier bags were issued by seven main retailers in 2014. But… Read More

  • Why have foodservice businesses been reluctant to wade into the referendum debate?

    Why have foodservice businesses been reluctant to wade into the referendum debate?

    A vote to leave the EU would have an enormous impact on the foodservice sector – but businesses have so far been reluctant to wade into the referendum debate. Very soon we will know whether the UK public has voted to… Read More