Defra

You are here: Home > Food and Farming > Farming management > Farm regulation review

Farm regulation review

Sheep in a field

The Farming Regulation Task Force was set up in July 2010 to carry out an independent review. Its report to Government, published in May 2011, recommended over 200 ways of reducing unnecessary “red tape” and reducing regulatory burdens on farmers and food processors.

Government response

The Government published its full response on 21 February 2012:

Out of 220 Task Force recommendations (with a further 18 recommendations directed at the Food Standards Agency), we have accepted 159 and are actively considering what could be possible on a further 31.

Some we are exploring through formal consultations which are currently underway, and for others we are working closely with different parts of the food and farming sector. Where we have not accepted a recommendation, because either they would be unachievable or would reduce standards, or because a better solution has been found, we have clearly explained why.

Key commitments in the Government Response include:

  • Applying “earned recognition” across inspection regimes. We accept the principle of reducing the inspection burden upon those who have a strong track record of compliance and adherence to standards. We want to build a higher level of trust between farmers and inspection bodies where professionalism and high standards in farm businesses are rewarded by a reduction in the number of inspections.
  • Working on increasing data and information sharing between our delivery partners, to help reduce unnecessary duplication of information requests.
  • Working to reduce the burden of paperwork on farmers. In December 2011 we published our paperwork plan, which we will review twice a year. We will aim to simplify the way that services are made available to farmers on-line, and that all forms and guidance will be “digital by default”.
  • Prioritising and simplifying environmental messages to farmers, to improve the way we explain our environmental priorities and identify how adopting certain practices can help farmers improve their bottom line.
  • Offering a potential way forward for removing the six-day livestock standstill rule, as long the livestock industry can develop a workable approach to the use of livestock separation units which will maintain protection against animal disease and that the changes are affordable and enforceable.
  • Closer working relationships between Defra and stakeholders, including a Defra-NFU staff exchange programme starting in April and partnership working with the industry in the EU.
  • A flytipping summit to bring together organisations across all sectors to galvanise support for regional action.

We will now work to turn these commitments into real action. Two groups will now meet regularly to oversee this. An independent Regulatory Scrutiny Panel will take a strategic overview on the way that Defra is shaping and implementing regulation across all sectors of the economy. And a Task Force Implementation Group will focus on what is being done for farmers. It will be chaired by Richard MacDonald and made up of Defra officials, farmers, and farming and environmental organisations.

Plan for reducing the burden of paperwork

On 30 December 2011 the Government published its plan for reducing the burden of paperwork on farmers and food processors, in response to a recommendation from the Task Force.

This plan gives examples of some of the work we are already doing to reduce and rationalise the paperwork burden on farming and food-processing businesses, and sets out a programme of actions to reduce this burden further, and gives examples of the work we will do.

Initial government response

The Government published its initial response to the Farming Regulation Task Force report on 3 November 2011.

It explains the progress made to date on the Macdonald recommendations. It sets out a narrative of the work that is being done, and highlights examples of how Defra and its delivery agents have started to apply the principles the Task Force set out.

Background

Richard Macdonald, Task Force Chair

Richard Macdonald, Task Force Chair

The Farming Regulation Task Force reported to Government on ways of reducing regulatory burdens on farmers and food processors. Richard Macdonald, the Chair of the Task Force, with Task Force members, presented the report to Jim Paice on 17 May 2011. It recommended more than 200 ways of reducing unnecessary “red tape”.

The Task Force was set up in July 2010 to carry out an independent review of relevant regulations and their implementation, and advise on how best to achieve a risk-based system of regulation in future, whilst maintaining high environmental, welfare and safety standards. The review was informed by an extensive consultation with the industry and other interested parties, which took place from August to October 2010.

 

 

Page last modified: 21 February 2012