Sustainable Farming Incentive 2023: Expanded offer to roll out from August

The new and improved Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2023 will start accepting applications in a controlled rollout from August, offering farmers additional actions and more flexibility to choose the actions they want to get paid for. Farmers will get paid for taking actions that support food production and improve farm productivity and resilience, while also protecting and improving the environment.

UK presses for further progress on global food security at G20

The Secretary of State for Food and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to improving global food security through sustainable agriculture. Speaking at the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Hyderabad, India, the Secretary of State urged countries to come together and harness the power of nature to get food to people’s plates both now and for future generations.

Target Operating Model (TOM) sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) risk categories – commodity code search published 

Defra has published a new commodity-code search, allowing traders of animals and most products of animal origin to more easily identify the TOM risk categorisation of their EU & EFTA origin goods.

As set out in the draft TOM, the UK has published a new risk-based regime for animals and animal product commodities. The regime categorises goods into high, medium and low-risk, and provides traders with the details of how the new SPS regime – as set out in the draft TOM – will be applied, including if health certification and checks will be applicable.

The categorisation is derived from a scientific assessment of the biosecurity and food safety risk that each commodity poses, weighted against the disease and pest risk of the country of origin. The categorisation is designed to be dynamic to respond to changing risks. TOM risk categories for imports of animals and animal products from non-EU countries will be published in summer 2023.

The EU will be treated as a single epidemiological entity, therefore all imports from the EU countries, will have SPS controls applied consistently. EFTA countries (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland & Lichtenstein) align their SPS regime’s with the EU, and so are also included in the scope of the new commodity code search tool.

If you import food products, live animals or animal products, from the EU into GB, you need to check the TOM risk-level of your commodity now to be ready for upcoming changes to import processes.

To view the Animals and Animal Products TOM risk categories click here.

Latest guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

The NCSC are currently seeking to understand the UK impact across different sectors of the recent cyber attack affecting HR payroll provider Zellis. The NCSC have provided some guidelines for businesses which may use Zellis as a provider.  If you think you have been impacted by this, or by the underlying MOVEit vulnerability, please do let NCSC know through their reporting page.
The NCSC also encourage the use of the following tools/services:

• The free and easy to setup NCSC Early Warning service, which helps to notify organisations of their susceptibility to known vulnerabilities.
• The Exercise in a Box tool, designed to help organisations prepare for an incident.

The NCSC Subscription Centre, including weekly threat reporting.

Government launches new drive to support rural communities

Communities and businesses in the most remote areas will benefit from better access to wireless networks thanks to plans announced as part of the government’s wider drive to grow the rural economy.
Unleashing Rural Opportunity outlines how government will deliver the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country.

First Rural Connectivity Champion announced to help drive growth

Following the launch of the government’s Rural Statement, the government has also announced the appointment of Simon Fell MP as the UK’s first Rural Connectivity Champion.

Over £30m for new equipment to boost sustainable food production

Farmers will benefit from new equipment and technology to boost sustainable food production and reduce emissions and waste after £31 million was made available in the latest round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF).

DBT Business Suspensions Updates 

Over the coming weeks, the Government will launch a new duty suspension application window. The window will be open for a two-month period and provide an opportunity to apply for a temporary reduction to tariffs, including on inputs into production, for a two-year period. We encourage you to subscribe to this page in order to hear the latest updates on where and how to apply.
The UK government has implemented tariff suspensions on a number of COVID-19 products since 1 January 2021. The suspensions include products such as ethyl alcohol, sorbitol and formic acid used in the production of vaccines (a full list can be found here). These suspensions will expire on 31 December 2023, after which the UK Global Tariff rate will apply again, unless other exceptions, such as preferential tariff measures, are in place.

Cutting-edge farming projects to get share of £30 million

Up to £30 million has been awarded to cutting-edge farming projects that will boost food production, move towards net zero, and create a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

Alongside the £30 million set to be awarded to more than 50 successful projects, the government has also made a further £12.5 million available to fund innovative projects helping to deliver a more productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

New Funding Available to Enhance Environmental Resilience Through the Farming Innovation Programme

This £12.5 million themed competition is part of the Farming Innovation Programme, which funds ambitious research and development projects to overcome barriers and create a more productive and sustainable sector.

Applications are now open for innovative projects addressing challenges to plants, crops and farmed animals, from both their biological (biotic) and physical environments (abiotic) in the three following industry sub-sectors:

• livestock
• plants
• bioeconomy and agroforestry

Funding is available for Collaborative Feasibility Studies (£200,000-£500,000) and Collaborative Industrial Research projects (£500,000-£1 million). The deadline to apply is Wednesday 19 July.

For more information on the competition and how to apply see the website and this webinar.

Single-use plastics ban: plates, bowls, trays, containers, cutlery and balloon sticks

From 1 October 2023, businesses must no longer supply, sell or offer certain single-use plastic items in England.

Scrapping retained EU red tape on wine to unlock £180 million

Wine producers and importers will be freed from unnecessary red tape thanks to proposed changes to retained EU laws on the production and marketing of wine, providing a £180m boost to our wine industry, opening the market to new products, and growing the economy.

Defra wants to know what you think about a plan to reform retained EU law related to wine in this consultation, which closes at 11:59pm on 21 July 2023.

This is part of the smarter regulation programme. We also plan to consolidate domestic wine regulations and make other minor reforms to retained EU law.