Written questions by Morello.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) fiscal and (b) regulatory incentives to (i) support UK-based agricultural machinery manufacturers and (ii) reduce reliance on imported agricultural equipment.

The Farming Innovation Programme funds research and innovation to offer new technology, equipment and practices that will support development of UK businesses and deliver solutions for farmers. Further grants like the Farming Equipment & Technology Fund (FETF) have helped ensure these UK-developed technologies can be adopted to support UK agriculture. We continue to work with industry to explore and enhance the full range of levers available to support UK agri-innovation and technology growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has commissioned research into the scalability of vertical farming practices.

The Government recognises that vertical farming (as part of Controlled Environment Horticulture) is a highly productive and valuable component of our wider agricultural system. As part of our mission-driven government, we are now considering how we can achieve our ambitious, measurable and long-term goals for all our farming sectors, including horticulture.

Food and Rural Affairs, what funding opportunities his Department offers farmers to introduce precision agriculture tools.

The Government is committed to supporting farmers in adopting innovative technologies to improve productivity and sustainability. The Accelerating Development of Practices and Techniques (ADOPT) Fund, which will open for applications in the spring, provides funding for on-farm trials of new technologies and techniques. This can include precision agriculture tools [such as GPS-guided machinery, variable-rate application systems, and remote sensing technology]. In addition, the forthcoming round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), to launch in Spring 2025, will support the uptake of innovative technology and equipment that is commercially available. The scheme will be open to farmers across England and a list of eligible equipment will be published within the scheme guidance ahead of its launch.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to implement alternative mechanisms to help support farmers with (a) hedgerow planting and (b) restoration projects following the suspension of capital grants under the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Defra announced on 24 February that the standalone Capital Grant scheme will re-open in the summer. The Capital Grant scheme will continue to offer funding to support hedgerow planting and restoration projects. In addition, Defra offers a range of other grants to support capital works which benefit the environment which are open now.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of mixing farming practices that integrate livestock and crop production to improve soil health.

Defra has made several assessments via R&D addressing the effectiveness of mixing farming practices which integrate livestock and crop production to improve soil health, focussing on comparing integrated crop and livestock systems with conventional cropping systems. Some of this ongoing research is delivered collaboratively via EU programmes, which also address circularity in mixed systems and have an emphasis on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the temporary closure of capital grants within the Sustainable Farming Incentive on (a) the Great Big Dorset Hedge project and (b) other community-led environmental initiatives.

Defra paused the standalone Capital Grant scheme, which includes grants to plant hedgerows, due to unprecedented demand. Defra announced on 24 February that all applications submitted before the scheme paused to new applications will be processed and funding will be granted to eligible applicants, including those who want to plant hedgerows. Defra does not intend to assess the impact of the temporary pause as this was a short period to re-assess the affordability of the scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department provides for large-scale farms transitioning to agroecological approaches.

Agroecological practices promote sustainable and resilient approaches to farming. This aligns with the goals of the government’s Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which will fund improvements to food security, biodiversity, carbon emissions, water quality, air quality and flood resilience. We consider much of the funding under our ELM schemes as supporting agroecological practices. As announced in October 2024, Defra’s farming budget will be £2.4 billion in 2025/26. ELM remains at the centre of our offer for farmers and will be funded by the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history of £1.8 billion. This enables us to keep momentum on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the adoption of hydroponic systems among traditional farmers.

The Government is committed to supporting farmers in adopting innovative technologies to improve productivity and sustainability. The Accelerating Development of Practices and Techniques (ADOPT) Fund, which will open for applications in the spring, provides funding for on-farm trials of new technologies and techniques. This may include trials exploring the application of hydroponics in various farming environments.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of promoting the adoption of AI-driven monitoring systems in agriculture.

The Government is committed to supporting farmers in adopting innovative technologies to improve productivity and sustainability. The Accelerating Development of Practices and Techniques (ADOPT) Fund, which will open for applications in the spring, provides funding for on-farm trials of new technologies and techniques. This can include precision agriculture tools [such as GPS-guided machinery, variable-rate application systems, and remote sensing technology]. In addition, the forthcoming round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), to launch in Spring 2025, will support the uptake of innovative technology and equipment that is commercially available. The scheme will be open to farmers across England and a list of eligible equipment will be published within the scheme guidance ahead of its launch.

Food and Rural Affairs, what funding is allocated for research into affordable precision agriculture technologies suitable for small-scale farmers.

The Farming Innovation Programme funds research across a range of technologies in agriculture including precision agriculture. Almost £150 million has been committed to projects of which over £84 million has been committed to small businesses. From 2025 / 2026 a further £63 million will be available in innovation grants under the Programme to support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers facing increased veterinary insurance premiums.

Insurance providers are private businesses and are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. However, through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, we are providing eligible keepers of cattle, sheep and pigs in England access to a series of funded visits by a vet of their choice, the animal health and welfare review and the complementary endemic disease follow-up visit.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent data his Department holds on E. coli levels in the River Char.

The River Char is not a designated site, therefore we do not hold any data on E.Coli levels for that river. The Environment Agency (EA) does not routinely monitor for E. Coli, as this is not a measure used to classify the ecological health of our rivers. E Coli monitoring is normally only undertaken at designated bathing waters to provide information to bathers on possible health risks. The Char has no designated bathing waters so is not monitored for E Coli. The nearest designated bathing water site in the catchment is on the coast at Charmouth West. This has been classified as having Excellent Bathing Water Quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce E. coli levels in the River Char.

The River Char is not a designated site, therefore we do not hold any data on E.Coli levels for that river. The Environment Agency (EA) does not routinely monitor for E. Coli, as this is not a measure used to classify the ecological health of our rivers. E Coli monitoring is normally only undertaken at designated bathing waters to provide information to bathers on possible health risks. The Char has no designated bathing waters so is not monitored for E Coli. The nearest designated bathing water site in the catchment is on the coast at Charmouth West. This has been classified as having Excellent Bathing Water Quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to support farmers with changes in agricultural subsidies following the UK's departure from the EU.

As we carry on the transition away from payment for land ownership and towards paying to deliver public goods for the environment, the Government is working with farmers to deliver a profitable farming sector and unlock rural growth. Environment Land Management (ELM) schemes remain at the centre of our offer for farmers and nature, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector. In the October 2024 budget, we committed £5 billion for farming over two years, including £1.8 billion for our ELM schemes - the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history. More than half of farmers are now in an ELM scheme. At January’s Oxford Farming Conference, the Secretary of State announced a series of reforms to support farmers, delivering on the Government’s New Deal for Farmers. This includes a pledge to use the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce and a commitment to monitor food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from. The Government will also use planning reforms to support food production, help farmers make additional money from selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind turbines by accelerating connections to the grid, protect farmers in trade deals, and boost profitability through fair competition across the supply chain.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent hunting activities from causing distress to livestock on active farmland.

The Government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers. It is an offence under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 for any dog to attack or worry livestock. All reported crimes should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with appropriate penalties. Government is supporting a Private Members’ Bill which will amend and update the 1953 Act. The Bill will modernise definitions and scope, strengthen police powers and increase the maximum penalty from a fine of £1,000 to an “unlimited” fine to act as a deterrent.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the symptoms on the Bluetongue virus alongside vaccinations.

Defra’s approach to bluetongue virus (BTV) considers the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice and aims to limit the spread of infection through proportionate and evidence-based control measures where appropriate, including movement controls on susceptible animals and controls on germinal products. A Restricted Zone is currently in place to help prevent the spread of disease. Alongside this, the Secretary of State authorised the use of three BTV-3 vaccines in 2024 and keepers are encouraged to discuss the use of vaccines with their vet.

Food and Rural Affairs, what consultations his Department has held with farming communities on the potential impact of rural road infrastructure on farming operations.

Rural road infrastructure is not a matter for Defra. The Department for Transport is responsible for providing policy, guidance and funding to local authorities in England to help them run and maintain their road networks. Local authorities are responsible for the management of the local road network under their control, and it is for individual local authorities to decide on how best to maintain its roads based on local needs, priorities and funding. Consultation with rural communities, including farmers, on the subject of road infrastructure would be a matter for the Department for Transport and the relevant local authorities. This Government takes the accessibility and condition of both rural and urban roads very seriously and is determined to help local authorities tackle the maintenance backlog that results from years of underinvestment by the previous Government. Well-maintained roads are vital for the economy and broader factors such as the social wellbeing of communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department is providing for farmers impacted by the Bluetongue virus.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England and Wales only. This Government recognises the importance of tackling rural crimes such as Hare Coursing. The previous Government made changes to address illegal hare coursing through a package of measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This broadened the circumstances in which police can investigate and bring charges for hare coursing related activity. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace and protect communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) vaccinations and (b) culling practices in tackling the spread of tuberculosis.

The new Government has started work on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy, to continue to drive down disease rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament. The CattleBCG vaccine, when coupled with the new Detect Infected amongst Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) skin test, represents a significant advancement in bovine TB control for cattle herds. Previous studies demonstrated significant vaccine protection against experimental challenge with high dose of bovine TB[1]. As with other vaccines, a range of protection is expected. Some animals will be fully or only partially protected after vaccination whilst others will remain susceptible to the disease. Recent international studies investigating the full extent of BCG protection in natural conditions found a total efficacy of 89%[2]. Previous research by APHA scientists has also found that vaccination of badgers with BCG can reduce the risk of adult badgers testing positive for TB by 54% [3]. When enough badgers are vaccinated, the risk of infection in unvaccinated cubs can also be reduced by 79%1. The Government will continue to increase vaccination delivery and analyse the effect of badger vaccination on the incidence of TB in cattle. The existing badger control policy is on a steep downward trajectory and all remaining intensive and supplementary licences will end in January 2026. These culls are based on findings of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) carried out from 1997 to 2005. The latest analysis from APHA found a median 56% reduction in bovine TB incidence from 52 areas subject to the Badger Control Policy (which includes badger culling and enhanced cattle surveillance) [4]. [1] APHA, 2021, The potential role for BCG vaccination in global efforts to control and eradicate bovine tuberculosis. https://rj8a5f.n3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/APHA_technical_discussion_paper_WOAH_-BCG_vaccination_cattle.pdf [2] Fromsa et al., 2024. BCG vaccination reduces bovine tuberculosis transmission, improving prospects for elimination. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl3962 [3] Carter et al., 2012. BCG Vaccination Reduces Risk of Tuberculosis Infection in Vaccinated Badgers and Unvaccinated Badger Cubs. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049833.[4] Birch et al., 2024. Difference in differences analysis evaluates the effects of the badger control policy on bovine tuberculosis in England. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54062-4

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of post-Brexit trade agreements on UK farmers' access to international markets.

Local authorities have a critical role in responding to the impacts of climate change in their areas. The Government is currently reviewing its approach to Climate Adaptation, including the tools and support we give to Local Authorities. in terms of finance, the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.