How-to guides for SMEs

Defra have worked with SMEs, regional food groups and others to produce How-To Guides sharing practical tips, case studies and advice on the four business growth opportunities. Please read and share them with your networks. These guides will evolve further to reflect best practice and new opportunities.

• Direct to Consumer sales
• Exporting
• Regional and Local Food and Drink Promotion
• Public Sector Food and Catering

Changes to Environment Agency’s abstraction charges to safeguard water supplies for people and wildlife

Businesses, including water companies and farmers must hold a licence to abstract more than 20 cubic metres of water a day from a river, stream, canal or groundwater, and pay charges for this from 1 April.

New Import Controls for Animal Products from July 2022

From July 2022, certification, documentary, ID and physical checks are being introduced for animal products imported from the European Union (EU) into Great Britain (GB).

To help you prepare, we will be running a series of webinars and Q&A sessions that will provide detailed information on the steps you need to take to continue importing animal products from the EU. You have the opportunity to submit up to three questions when you register and we will aim to cover these in the webinar.  

Registration is now open for the following webinars:  

Importing meat and meat products from the EU into GB (Tue 26 April, 10.00am – 12.00pm | Register here)
Importing animal by-products from the EU into GB (Thu 28 April, 2.00pm – 4.00pm | Register here)

We will also be running webinars on other animal product topics such as dairy, fish and composites and will communicate these dates soon. 

• Please note the above changes do not apply to goods entering Great Britain from Northern Ireland.
• There is a dedicated Imports microsite which holds information (FAQs, process maps, guidance documentation) relating to import controls. You will need to be granted access to this site, please click on the link above and we will grant you access.  
• View all import controls currently in force and upcoming requirements as a visual snapshot on the imports microsite     
• Six factsheets have been developed to provide you with key information about the upcoming changes across several commodities. Visit the microsite to view the Animal imports fact sheets 

Find out more about Importing food and drink from the EU to Great Britain on gov.uk

Find funding to help your business become greener

Almost £5 billion of funding is available to help UK businesses become greener as part of the government’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Funding available includes the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) Phase 2: Spring 2022 competition, and Green Home Finance Accelerator, as well as several others.

Woodland creation

The Forestry Commission have recorded a webinar discussing the benefits of woodland creation for farmers, landowners and communities, outlining how interested parties can access available grants and is available to watch here.

The England Woodland Creation Offer is a flexible grant that supports farmers and landowners with the capital costs of tree planting, the maintenance of young trees and the additional contributions available for new woodlands that help mitigate climate change, deliver nature recovery benefits, and provide wider environmental and social benefits. To find out more, please see the England Woodland Creation Offer Animation video here.