Technical advice line: 03000 200 301 | Email: advice@farmingadviceservice.org.uk

Rules & Regulations

The Farming Advice Service helps farmers understand the legal requirements in English law which they must follow to protect people, livestock and the environment.

On this page you will find FAS content on rules and regulations, including legislation regarding:

  • Keeping livestock (animal health and welfare and protecting the environment)
  • Land management (including protection of landscape features)
  • Use of pest control products
  • Product application onto land
  • Production of plant and seed varieties
  • Management of trees and water
  • Waste disposal
  • Production of compost, biogas, fertiliser and animal feed
FAS website front page

Useful Links:

Newsletters

  • FAS Newsletter October 2025 Front Page

    Issue 128

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Farming Advice Service webinar; AI in agriculture: Practical tools for farmers and advisers
    • Catch up on the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) funding webinar recording 
    • Backing England's farmers to meet growing demand for organic food   
    • A reminder from the Environment Agency to make your application no less than THREE months before the expiry date 
    • Forestry Commission upcoming agroforestry webinars
    • Looking after yourself during challenging times 
    • Wye and Usk, UK: Water roadmap collective action project
    • Interested in the role of herbal leys on your farm?
    • Support with safety measures from the Environment Agency Reservoir Regulation Team
    • Summer water abstraction returns
    • Long duration licence evidence changes
    • Environment Agency winter reservoir refill prospects 2026/27
    • Trees: A powerful tool for tackling diffuse agricultural pollution
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
      • Fertiliser storage for the coming season 
      • Put trees to work on your farm
      • Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: preparing for April 2027
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us
  • November 2025 Front Page

    Issue 127

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) Window 2 budget fully allocated following strong farmer demand
    • Bluetongue: how the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway can support farmers
    • Young Farmers Week 2026
    • Two Part Tariff (TPT) second part charges for year 2025/2026 
    • Nutrient Management Planning Tool update – understand the value of your manure!
    • Efforts to prevent England remaining in drought by next spring
    • Environment Secretary Speech on Back British Farming Day
    • Farmer Collaboration Fund
    • Updates from the Forestry Commission
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us
  • FAS Newsletter August 2025

    Issue 126

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Temporary adjustments to ELM agreements and new drought funding for farmers
    • How Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier can work for farmers and land managers
    • Woodland creation webinar: helping new trees survive and thrive
    • Wildfire training available
    • Help test the Forestry Commission’s new felling licence service
    • Annual Charge Invoices for Chargeable Abstraction Licence Holders
    • How an EA inspection helped a dairy farm transition to a more sustainable business model
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us
  • FAS June 2026

    Issue 125

    • Key dates to be aware of
    • Upcoming Events
    • Capital Grants 2026 offer now open
    • Farm Safety Week
    • Register your interest in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreement for agroforestry or woodland improvement.
    • Farmer Collaboration Fund is launching soon
    • Tripling funding for farmer welfare support
    • Annual Charge Invoices for Chargeable Abstraction Licence Holders
    • Woodland creation webinar: helping new trees survive and thrive
    • Help test the Forestry Commission’s new felling licence service
    • Water licensing availability survey
    • Modernising time limited licence renewal reminders
    • Updates from the Defra Farming blog and industry announcements
    • Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
    • How can we help you?
    • Stay up to date with us

Podcast

  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 7

    Nutrient Management with Mel Holloway

    16 mins
  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 5

    Meet the Farming Advice Service Helpline Team

    21 mins
  • FAS podcast logo

    podcast

    Episode 4

    Livestock movement and ID, with Laura Harpham and Ian Cairns

    25 mins

Upcoming Events

  • CSF

    CSF South East and Thames - Farming Roadshow: support and resilience - Waddesdon

    Join farm focused advisors from Catchment Sensitive Farming, the Forestry Commission, Natural England and p...

    10th Nov 2026
    09:30 - 15:30 (GMT)
    Waddesdon Hall, High Street, Waddesdon, HP18 0JE

    Find out more and book your place here.

  • CSF

    CSF Severn - Smarter Nutrients, Easier Planning: NMP Workshop - Whitchurch

    A practical workshop for farmers with the aim to break down the complexities of nutrient management plannin...

    12th Nov 2026
    19:30 - 21:30 (GMT)
    Whitchurch Rugby Club Edgeley Park Whitchurch SY13 1EX

    Find out more and book your place here.

  • CSF

    CSF South Anglia - The More, the Merrier? What does crop diversity really deliver?

    Farmers are being encouraged to increase diversity across the farm, from broadening rotations, growing spec...

    16th Nov 2026
    09:30 - 14:00 (GMT)
    Church Farm, Ardeley, Stevenage SG2 7AH

    Find out more and book your place here.

Webinar Recordings

  • FAS

    Nutrient Management Planning – what’s new for 2026

    Following the launch of the new Defra funded online Nutrient Management Planning Tool in February, we speak to expert farm consultant and FACTS & BASIS qualified advisor Mel Holloway about approaches to nutrient management planning for the new planting year. With an update from CSF on support available from their teams.
  • FAS

    Livestock farming update with the RPA and CSF

    Join the Farming Advice Service team, colleagues from the Rural Payments Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming for an online update on systems and support for livestock farmers
  • FAS

    Farm Finance Planning in 2026

    Hosted by the Farming Advice Service with presenter Kev Bevan, farm advisor and agricultural economist, this webinar includes a session introducing approaches to cash flow budgeting and tools for farm accounting, an update on Making Tax Digital for 2026, and a look at the Farming Toolkit for Assessing Nature Market Opportunities.

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