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The Latest Breaking News from Defra

‘Outwitted’: have water companies managed to sidestep Labour’s bonus ban?

Concerns loophole in 2025 act allows payouts at firms that repeatedly pollute England’s waterways with sewage

The Guardian - UK

Four areas of England now in drought as heat threatens wildlife and crops

Ministers call for hosepipe bans as East and West Midlands enter drought, joining Yorkshire and north-west

The Guardian - UK

Step up restoration of ancient woodland before it is lost, Forestry England urged

Campaigners say just 5.8% of irreplaceable habitat at publicly owned sites has been fully restored in 10 years

The Guardian - UK

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Environment Agency insider alleges ‘cover-up’ over sewage sludge on farmland

Regulator and government accused of colluding with water industry to dump potentially toxic waste without oversight

The Guardian - UK

‘Like fly-tipping’: ministers ignoring pleas to cut sludge fertiliser use

Exclusive: Defra warned three years ago of farmland contamination by water firms’ sewage-derived product

The Guardian - UK

Water regulator handed largest ever budget to tackle pollution

The Environment Agency will receive a cash injection of more than £189 million this financial year of 2025/26.

Evening Standard

‘A Trojan horse’: how toxic sewage sludge became a threat to the future of British farming

Sludge used as fertiliser on farmland contains harmful chemicals that scientists suspect are entering food chain

The Guardian - UK

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Nature-friendly farming budget swells in UK – but cuts elsewhere make recovery fraught

Nature in the UK appeared to receive a rare funding boost in the June spending review, with the government setting a spending target of up to £2 billion a year for England’s environmental land management (ELM) scheme by 2028-29.

The Conversation

Campaigners call for action on reusable packaging and cutting food waste

Experts found that adopting reusable packaging for 30% of goods in UK grocery retail could deliver millions in annual savings for producers.

The Independent UK

Pollution fines of more than £100m will go to environmental projects, Defra says

Concerns had been raised the cash from fines on water companies would not be ringfenced for schemes such as river restoration.

Evening Standard

Labour cutting farming budget in England by £100m a year, figures shows

Nature and farmers’ groups cautiously welcome spending review as there were fears Treasury wanted bigger cuts

The Guardian - UK

Reeves protects nature-friendly farming budget amid squeeze on environment spend

Green groups have welcomed the Government’s decision to protect the nature friendly farming budget but concerns remain on an overall Defra squeeze.

Evening Standard

MPs ask minister if he will claw back Thames Water executive bonuses

Chair of troubled firm admits 21 senior managers were paid 50% of base salary on 30 April

The Guardian - UK

Government may have failed to comply with law on protecting birds – watchdog

The Government has a legal obligation to maintain populations of wild birds and ensure they have enough suitable habitats.

Evening Standard

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The Conversation

Mussel power: how an offshore shellfish farm is boosting marine life

Over the past 50 years, global aquaculture including fish, mussel and seaweed farms has grown dramatically. Almost half of the world’s wild-caught fish is used to produce fishmeal and oils that feed farmed fish.

The Independent UK

Government would struggle to cope with severe animal disease outbreak – watchdog

Outbreaks such as foot and mouth or bird flu can have major impacts on farming, economic growth, public health and wildlife, the NAO says.

The Independent UK

UK ‘not prepared’ for major animal disease outbreak like foot and mouth or bird flu

Watchdog calls for urgent action after government admits there is a “very high” risk of an outbreak to which it would be unable to respond effectively

The Independent UK

Government exploring making farms and supermarkets pay to bring foreign farm workers to the UK

Exclusive: It would cost employers £850-£1,500 to bring each worker to the UK, study into seasonal worker visa finds

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The Guardian - UK

Fund for nature-friendly farming to be slashed in UK spending review

Exclusive: Defra sources say scheme, which pays farmers to protect nature, will be targeted at ‘small farms’

The Independent UK

Anger over £116,000 trophy hunting holidays for tourists to shoot leopards

Exclusive: More than 700 body parts of big cats were exported in 2023 – including to the UK – after repeated promises to crack down failed

The Independent UK

New rules to come into force in all UK zoos for staff and visitors

Designed to improve animal welfare, the new reforms are the biggest in over 10 years

The Guardian - UK

The hidden cost of your supermarket sea bass

Revealed: an investigation shows how consumers buying fish in the UK are playing a role in food insecurity and unemployment in Senegal

The Independent UK

Cross-party calls for Government to delay inheritance tax change

The Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which includes seven Labour MPs, said the impact of the plans was ‘disputed and unclear’.

The Guardian - UK

Are York’s developers aiming high enough with UK’s largest regeneration project?

The £2.5bn York Central scheme is a huge opportunity to rethink the city centre but campaigners worry they will end up with an off-the-shelf development

The Guardian - UK

Treasury threatens Defra with £4bn bill if Thames Water nationalised

Exclusive: Treasury threat an example of ‘scare tactics’ to help force through private sector deal, sources suggest

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