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FAS technical advice line: 03000 200 301
- 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
- £225 million Capital Grants successfully allocated
- £13 million to turn farming’s best ideas into real-world tools
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - published guidance on HMRC sign-ups and exemptions
- Remote monitoring to support environmental land management agreements
- Rural Payments Agency: Updates and Guidance
- How can we help you?
- Stay up to date with us
Applications for the Farmer Collaboration Fund round 1 close today. Information on the scheme can be found here
For any land located in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ), this is the start of closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to tillage land on soils which are not shallow or sandy. GOV.UK
You can burn heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium on land in upland areas (not including peat deeper than 30 cm) from this date. GOV.UK
For any land located in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ), this is the start of the closed period for applying organic manure with a high readily available nitrogen content (for example, slurry, poultry manures or liquid digested sewage sludge) to grassland on soils which are not shallow or sandy. GOV.UK
In case you missed them
The closed period for high Readily Available Nitrogen (RAN) organic manures on grassland in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones begins.
The full guidance on NVZ closed periods can be found here.
Upcoming Events
On 22 September, the second application window for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) closed after attracting strong demand from farmers and land managers across England.
Farmers will receive almost a third of a billion pounds each year for three years under new SFI26 agreements, equalling nearly a billion pounds invested in resilient farming. Approximately 12,200 applications were submitted during Window 2.
The Rural Payments Agency is now processing applications in submission order, although some will require additional checks, and farmers who receive an agreement offer will need to accept it within 30 days.
Defra has confirmed that the Sustainable Farming Incentive will continue in 2027 and has committed to working with farming organisations and the wider sector to refine the scheme while providing greater stability and certainty for farmers. As part of this, Defra are exploring alternatives to a first come, first served application process for SFI in 2027.
Defra have published further information on SFI26 Window 2 uptake, the additional funding provided and early statistics, alongside plans to improve the scheme for 2027.
Bluetongue cases are increasing across Great Britain. The disease is most prevalent in the Southwest, West Midlands, Northwest of England and in parts of Wales.
All of England is in a bluetongue Restricted Zone. Provided animals are not showing clinical signs, keepers can move animals within England without a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing.
With cases rising quickly, testing demand has increased significantly so Defra and the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) are working with farmers and vets to manage the outbreak. In England, private vets can now diagnose clear cases of bluetongue after examining affected animals. Private vets will contact the APHA to formally confirm diagnosis, instead of taking blood samples for testing. This means straightforward cases do not need to wait for laboratory results, helping farmers get answers sooner and act quickly to protect their livestock.
The new changes don’t mean a reduction in disease controls. The usual safeguards remain in place. Where a vet cannot rule out suspicion of notifiable disease, including foot and mouth, the usual reporting and laboratory testing arrangements will continue.
These new changes reflect the current outbreak in England, where bluetongue is now widespread and well understood. These measures to help tackle bluetongue sit alongside wider disease surveillance and APHA support.
Details on how to spot and report bluetongue can be found on GOV.UK.
Support and actions for farmers
Sheep and cattle farmers in England can apply for a government-funded vet visit through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. The online application takes less than two minutes.
During the visit, vets can check animals for signs of disease, advise on bluetongue risks and suggest ways to reduce them.
Vaccination is the best way to help protect livestock from bluetongue. It is not too late this season, so farmers should speak to their vet and order vaccines as soon as possible.
You can read the full DEFRA Blog post here; Bluetongue: how the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway can support farmers – Farming
Led by young people, for young people - the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC) is one of the largest rural youth organisations in the UK dedicated to young people who have a love for agriculture and rural life.
This year, the National Young Farmers’ Week takes place from 5-9 October to raise awareness of the YFCs and the great work they do and to encourage more young people to get involved in their local club.
Throughout the week, different aspects of belonging will be showcased:
- Monday – You Belong Here: Official launch of the week and promoting how you can belong to YFC.
- Tuesday – Belong in Agriculture: Sharing how YFC helps you belong to agriculture through networking, education and partner work.
- Wednesday – Belong in Your Community: Sharing how YFC helps young people belong in their rural communities through activities and fundraising.
- Thursday – Belong by Trying Something New: Sharing how YFC training and competitions helps young people belong.
- Friday – Belong Through Friendship: Sharing how the friendships you make in YFC are what make belonging special.
For young people looking to meet new people, learn new skills and get involved in rural life, National Young Farmers’ Week is a chance to discover everything that YFC has to offer. Learn more and follow the campaign using #NationalYoungFarmersWeek and #BelongAtYFC
Read more about this years offering here; National Young Farmers' Week
If you hold a chargeable water abstraction licence and the Environment Agency has agreed a Two Part Tariff charge arrangement you will have received or may soon receive your second part charge invoice for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
The second part charge is based on the quantities reported to the Environment Agency by you as abstracted.
The first part charge, which you will have received previously, is 50% of the calculated annual charge for a licence or group of licences.
Taken together the first and second part charges make up the full the annual charge and will be no more in total than the full calculated annual charge for a licence or group of licences.
The second part charge is billed in arrears to allow time for records of actual abstraction for the billing period in question to be reported and processed.
You will be able to identify your second part charge invoice as it will state ‘Two-part tariff second part water abstraction charge:’ in the description box.
If you have any queries about your invoice or how to pay the invoice details of who you can contact, and how to sign up for e invoicing or to set up a direct debit, are printed on the reverse of the invoice.
A new update to Defra’s Nutrient Management Planning Tool (NMPT-GB) makes it easier for farmers and land managers to estimate the nutrients supplied by organic manures, as well as their financial value.
Defra’s NMPT-GB is a free, easy-to-use online tool that helps farmers and land managers plan and manage nutrients to match soil and crop needs. The tool helps farmers reduce costs and keep records that support compliance with environmental regulations.
The NMPT-GB tool now includes an accessible and user-friendly organic manure nutrient calculator which replaces the now outdated MANNER-NPK (Manure Nitrogen Evaluation Routine - Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash) tool. The functionality is available as a standalone tool so users can estimate nutrient availability from organic manures and their financial value without completing a full nutrient management plan.
You can access the new update on the NMPT-GB webpage, or read more about the tool’s functionality on Defra’s farming blog. For more information about how the tool can support decision-making on farms, watch the recent webinar here.
Use of NMPT-GB is entirely voluntary. Regulators do not have access to farm-specific data entered into the tool and Defra will not use information from the tool for compliance purposes. If users wish, they can use the tool and its outputs to support their own evidence of compliance.
Almost three-quarters of England remains in drought following an exceptionally dry spring and summer, with reservoirs and groundwater levels still below normal and requiring 120% of typical rainfall over the next seven months to be considered out of drought.
Due to this, the government has “urged water companies not to not to lose momentum and carry on water efficiency measures until the drought is over”.
The National Drought Group, which includes representatives from government, the Met Office, regulators, water companies, farmers and environmental organisations, recently met to review the drought situation across England. Public water supplies were a key focus of discussions and the group is now meeting weekly to monitor the situation and coordinate response measures.
Government response:
- A £65 million package to help farmers affected by drought, including up to £15 million for on-farm reservoirs to improve water storage capacity.
- £100 million to strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to extreme weather and wildfires.
- Nine new reservoirs by 2050 as well as desalination plants and multiple water transfers to help secure future supplies.
- Planning reforms to speed up the development of new reservoirs and water infrastructure to non-water sector companies.
- Continued work on mandatory water efficiency labelling and will respond soon to a consultation on improving water efficiency in new homes.
- Nature-based solutions, including peatland restoration, wetland creation and tree planting
- Cross-government action to strengthen resilience to droughts, flooding and wildfires.
While forecasts suggest a wetter autumn could help replenish water resources, recovery is expected to vary across the country. Environment Agency modelling indicates that northern regions are likely to recover first, followed by the Midlands and parts of the south. Under the most likely rainfall scenario, many areas could move into recovery during the winter, although Devon & Cornwall and East Anglia may remain in drought by spring 2027.
The outlook remains uncertain. Current projections suggest there is around a one-in-four chance that roughly half of England could still be experiencing drought next spring if rainfall is below average. However, forecasts influenced by the developing El Niño weather pattern point towards a wetter and potentially stormier autumn, which may help improve water levels across many drought-affected areas.
The Environment Agency has stressed that a few weeks of rain cannot reverse the significant water deficit created by the dry spring and summer, which saw just 56% of average spring rainfall and only 64% of expected summer rainfall. As a result, efforts to reduce water demand and improve resilience will remain a priority throughout the autumn and winter as the country works towards drought recovery.
Look out for area specific winter refill prospects to be published by the Environment Agency in mid-October, please find on the technical resources page of the Farming Advice Service.
Speaking at the NFU's Back British Farming Day reception, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle highlighted the vital role farmers play in producing high-quality food, nurturing the national world and sustaining Britain’s rural communities.
Angela stated that the “supply of food has often been taken for granted over the years” and described farming as being as important to the country's security as energy and defence, particularly as the sector faces increasing challenges from climate change and extreme weather.
The speech acknowledged the pressures many farmers have experienced over the past year, including rising input costs, drought conditions, heatwaves and livestock disease outbreaks such as bluetongue. The Environment Secretary stressed the need for farming businesses to be profitable if they are to continue providing a secure food supply and outlined a range of government measures aimed at supporting the sector.
These include a £65 million drought support package, with up to £15 million available for on-farm reservoirs, alongside continued investment in animal health. The secretary also encouraged livestock keepers to discuss bluetongue vaccination with their vets and make use of support available through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.
Looking to the future, the speech reinforced both the Environment Secretary's and Prime Minister's commitment to the Farming Roadmap and highlighted the need to see farming and nature working together. The government's Land Use Framework aims to support changes in land management while maintaining food production, with continued backing through schemes such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). Alongside this, £225 million has been allocated to capital grants, supporting practical improvements such as new hedgerows and improvements to business profitability.
The Secretary also highlighted the role of the Farming Improvement Partnership Board in bringing industry leaders together to develop sector growth plans, beginning with horticulture and later expanding to other sectors. Emphasising that farmers should not have to shoulder the risks of climate change alone, the speech described the sector as being at a turning point, where the Farming Roadmap, Land Use Framework and the Farming and Food Partnership Board must work together to support profitable farm businesses, strengthen food security and help the industry adapt to increasingly challenging weather conditions. The Secretary concluded by reaffirming the government's support for British agriculture, stating that when farmers thrive, the nation thrives.
During September, Defra invited applications from delivery partners to the new Farmer Collaboration Fund (FCF), a £30 million fund designed to support farmers and land managers to work together on projects that improve productivity, sustainability and business resilience.
The fund will support organisations with experience of facilitating farmer collaboration to establish new groups, strengthen existing networks and provide practical support through dedicated facilitators. The aim is to give farmers the time, resources and expertise needed to develop locally led projects that address shared challenges and opportunities.
Through the fund, collaboration groups will be able to access activities such as:
- peer-to-peer learning
- farm walks
- discussion groups and workshops
- knowledge exchange events and;
- specialist advice.
By working together, farmers may be able to improve efficiency, reduce costs, explore new funding opportunities and deliver environmental outcomes that would be more difficult to achieve individually.
The long-term nature of the funding, with support available for up to three years, recognises that successful collaboration takes time to develop. Facilitators will help groups build relationships by co-ordinate meetings, arrange speakers and specialist advice, and help farmers agree shared actions, while supporting individual famers where this contribute to the objectives of the wider group.
The first application round closed on 30 September, with successful applicants expected to be notified in November 2026 and first payments issued in December. A second funding round is planned to open in spring 2027.
Getting ready for tree planting season
Tree planting season is coming up fast. Whether you’re preparing to plant or just starting to explore a new woodland project, the Forestry Commission’s woodland creation timeline walks you through the whole journey. From the initial site checks through to planting the first tree, it covers everything you need to know, including funding options, realistic timescales and who to contact at each stage of the process.
Explore the woodland creation timeline: Woodland creation timeline: from planning to planting - GOV.UK
From bare field to thriving woodland: the next chapter at Breach Park Farm
Sarah Dixon, Forestry Commission Woodland Ambassador and landowner of Breach Park Farm, shares her eight-year journey of transforming nutrient-depleted agricultural land into a flourishing mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland.
Sarah outlines the practical realities of managing early establishment—including overcoming the historic 2018 drought—and explains how landowners can successfully transition mature sites to support community access, forest schools, and local wellbeing.
From bare field to thriving woodland: the next chapter at Breach Park Farm – Forestry Commission
Planning to planting virtual events
Throughout 2026, the Forestry Commission has been running a series of virtual events following the woodland creation timeline. Each webinar includes guidance from a Forestry Commission expert, as well as top tips from a landowner who has been through the process themselves.
The final session, Managing new woodland, will be a practical session to help landowners and land managers give their trees the best chance to thrive during increasingly dry springs and summers.
Watch the first three webinars on YouTube, or register for the fourth event, Managing new woodland
National Forestry Conference, 7 October
The annual National Forestry Conference, organised by the CLA, Forestry Commission and Grown in Britain, returns for its ninth year.
Bringing together up to 200 foresters, farmers, landowners, land managers and industry stakeholders from across the UK, the conference offers a unique opportunity to gain practical insights, with panel discussions on tackling the impacts of deer and squirrel, invasive species management, and sustainable woodland management for resilience.
With a theme of 'commerciality through connectivity', the event’s programme features sector experts from the CLA, Savills and the Forestry Commission.
Dry Weather Information
The Environment Agency is coordinating the national response to dry weather and drought conditions, working to protect water supplies for homes, businesses, farmers and the environment. This includes convening the National Drought Group, monitoring water levels, supporting farmers with irrigation guidance, working with local communities, protecting wildlife and aquatic habitats, and planning for long-term water security.
You can read the latest updates from the Environment Agency here; Dry Weather Information - drought 2026 | Engage Environment Agency
Defra regularly updates the Farming blog. Please subscribe to the blog to ensure you receive all the latest news.
£225 million Capital Grants successfully allocated
On 1 September, Defra announced that the Capital Grants 2026 offer had closed as the budget had been fully allocated.
With a 50% increase on the 2025 budget and around 17,000 applications submitted in under 5 weeks, this has been the fastest uptake for the offer to help farmers and land managers carry out environmental improvements across England.
You can read more from Oliver Munn, Rural Payments Agency's Chief Executive, who shares some early reflections on the data and the environmental ambition they represent in this Defra Farming Blog post.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - published guidance on HMRC sign-ups and exemptions
HMRC led sign-ups
On 12 August, HMRC published a press release confirming that, from September 2026, it would begin signing up customers who are required to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for the 2026–27 tax year but have not yet enrolled. This is intended to help affected customers meet their legal obligations.
HMRC said the sign-up process would be phased over the following months. It also committed to publishing guidance in late August explaining what customers should do if they receive a letter confirming that HMRC has signed them up for MTD for Income Tax.
Guidance for customers
HMRC published the promised guidance on 24 August. Sole traders and landlords who receive a sign-up letter can now use Check what to do if HMRC has signed you up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - GOV.UK. HMRC has also added call-out boxes and refreshed the messaging on its step by step guidance and sign-up pages for sole traders, landlords and agents.
Digital exclusion exemptions
HMRC has also begun accepting exemption applications for the 2027–28 tax year from customers who consider themselves digitally excluded. Further information is available at: Apply for an exemption from Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - GOV.UK.
Reminder: Second Quarterly Update deadline
If you are already using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, you will need to send quarterly updates to HMRC every 3 months using compatible software.
More than 467,000 sole traders and landlords have already successfully sent their first quarterly update using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax software. If you haven't yet sent yours, you can still do so, with no penalty points for late quarterly updates during the 2026 to 2027 tax year.
The deadline for the second quarterly update is 7 November 2026.
Quarterly updates are not tax returns. They are simple summaries of your income and expenses, pulled by your software from the digital records you have been keeping.
Each quarterly update covers the tax year to date, not just the previous 3 months. This means that if you need to correct your earlier records, you do not need to resend a previous update. Any correction will be included in your latest update by your software.
You do not need to make accounting or tax adjustments before sending a quarterly update. Your software will use the digital records you have created to produce totals for each income and expense category.
After sending an update, you will be able to see an estimate of your tax bill for your self-employment and property income in your software or in your HMRC online services account.
Before sending your second quarterly update
You should make sure that:
- your digital records are up to date
- your software is connected to HMRC
- you have checked the figures your software has produced
- you send the update by 7 November 2026
If you have not received any income or incurred any expenses during the update period, you must still send your quarterly update to tell HMRC.
Remember: HMRC needs to have received your quarterly updates to allow you to submit your tax return.
For more information, read the guidance on how to send quarterly updates for MTD for Income Tax.
£13 million to turn farming’s best ideas into real-world tools
Applications for the Small R&D Partnerships (Round 5) competition opened on Tuesday 1 September.
This £13 million competition supports collaborative research and development projects, providing grants of £1-3 million to help promising ideas move closer to rolling out across England's farms.
Farmers face challenges ranging from dealing with animal disease, to protecting crops from pests. This grant will give agricultural researchers, farmers and agri-tech businesses the funding needed to push forward promising ideas in development into practical tools and technology to help solve these everyday problems.
This is the latest part of the £123 million available this year through the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP), following the recent £53 million funding boost. Investing in homegrown technology is part of Defra’s long-term commitment, and key to delivering the vision of the Farming Roadmap in helping to ensure England's farms are profitable, productive and resilient.
The announcement followed the opening of applications for the £30 million Farmer Collaboration Fund, helping farmers and land managers work together to cut costs, share knowledge and build resilience.
Find out more about the FIP Small R&D Partnerships grant and how it's helping to solve more everyday farming challenges in this Defra Farming Blog post.
Remote monitoring to support environmental land management agreements
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has strengthened its use of remote monitoring to help assess progress under Environmental Land Management (ELM) agreements. New monitoring markers and improved analysis techniques are being used to understand how agreements are being delivered and how environmental actions are progressing over time.
Where potential issues are detected, such as an action not being established successfully, management activities not taking place at the expected time or where land/climate conditions affect the results an agreement is aiming to achieve, agreement holders may be contacted for further information. The RPA says this approach will help improve the targeting of farm visits, help resolve issues earlier and help manage agreements successfully.
Farmers are encouraged to notify the RPA if changing circumstances affect their ability to meet agreement requirements. Remote monitoring is expected to play an increasingly important role in helping ensure public funding delivers the intended environmental outcomes while supporting effective agreement management.
An update on how the RPA use remote monitoring to support environmental land management agreements
Since the last blog in November 2025 on How RPA uses remote monitoring technology to monitor environmental land management (ELM) agreements, the RPA team have continued to develop and improve this work.
You can read the full update on the blog here; An update on how we use remote monitoring to support environmental land management agreements – Rural payments
Sheep and goat tagging for keepers in England
If you keep sheep or goats in England, you need to correctly tag your animals and record their movements.
Watch the new RPA video below for an overview of the correct tags to use, the process for tagging your animals, and replacing any lost or damaged tags:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gmpDHZwQGI&feature=youtu.be
We recommend that you also watch the video What to expect from a sheep and goat visit.
Rural Payments Agency Blog
To stay up to date with the latest information and updates from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), sign up to the RPA Blog.
You can also listen to the RPA Podcast, which has been launched to help farmers, landowners and rural communities keep up to date with the latest news from the RPA. You can also follow the RPA on social media:
- X @ruralpay
- Facebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgency
- YouTube: Rural Payments Agency
- Instagram: ruralpay.
Stay up to date with the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) blog posts here.
The Rural Payments Agency has launched a series of 'How to' videos to help farmers prepare for a farm visit and meet your regulatory requirements.
The video series of practical guides covers everything from identification visits to getting set up online.
Free and confidential advice
The FAS is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). We provide free, confidential advice to help farmers and land managers in England understand and meet the legal requirements in English law around certain farming activities to protect people, livestock and the environment. We update the farming sector on relevant government farming policy that is applicable in England and on the actions that can be taken to help farmers comply with the relevant regulations. Our newsletter also provides articles on topics that are complementary to farming regulation, such as practices that benefit the wider environment and wellbeing support.
Our website hosts our previous newsletters, as well as technical articles and webinars that cover various topics in more detail.
Contacting the advice line: Farmers requiring telephone advice can contact the FAS technical advice line on 03000 200 301, Monday to Friday, between 08:30 and 17:00. The Rural Services Helpline provides a single number for all FAS, Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Animal and Plant Health Agency, Natural England and Forestry enquiries.
You can also email enquiries to advice@farmingadviceservice.org.uk. Our helpline team aims to respond to all telephone and email enquiries within one working day.