Written questions by Morello.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 potential impact of recent trends in veterinary service costs on farm veterinary insurance premiums over the last five years.

Insurance providers are private businesses and are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are therefore not able to provide further information on this matter.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of available agricultural labour on agricultural productivity.

We recognise that it is vital that the agricultural sector have the labour they need to harvest great British produce and grow their businesses. For this reason, Defra regularly monitors agricultural labour numbers, with the most recent assessment for 1 June 2024 being published here on 15 December 2024. To help support the sector, Defra and Home Office have agreed to a 5-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route. This will give farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. However, we remain firmly committed to reduce our reliance on overseas labour. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually reducing visa numbers as we develop innovative and Agri-tech solutions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to help promote integrated supply chains within the dairy industry.

Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products, and the Government is committed to tackling unfairness in the supply chain wherever it exists. Central to this is the Government’s commitment to improving contractual practices across the agriculture industry, using the Fair Dealings powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 to increase transparency and protect farmers from unfair practices. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which came into force last year, introduced key reforms. These include mandatory written contracts outlining key terms such as termination conditions and agreed supply volumes. They also require greater transparency in milk pricing and establish robust dispute resolution procedures, strengthening trust and cooperation between buyers and sellers. The regulations are enforced by the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, who can investigate complaints from farmers who believe they have not been provided with a contract that is compliant with the Regulations, on behalf of the Secretary of State. We will continue to monitor the dairy industry to ensure these reforms deliver their intended impact, including through a future review of the effectiveness of the dairy regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure dairy farmers receive a fair price for their milk, in the context of recent trends in production prices.

Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products, and the Government is committed to tackling unfairness in the supply chain wherever it exists. Central to this is the Government’s commitment to improving contractual practices across the agriculture industry, using the Fair Dealings powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 to increase transparency and protect farmers from unfair practices. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which came into force last year, introduced key reforms. These include mandatory written contracts outlining key terms such as termination conditions and agreed supply volumes. They also require greater transparency in milk pricing and establish robust dispute resolution procedures, strengthening trust and cooperation between buyers and sellers. The regulations are enforced by the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, who can investigate complaints from farmers who believe they have not been provided with a contract that is compliant with the Regulations, on behalf of the Secretary of State. We will continue to monitor the dairy industry to ensure these reforms deliver their intended impact, including through a future review of the effectiveness of the dairy regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the implementation of nature-based solutions to help reduce flooding risks along the River Frome.

The Environment Agency (EA) is committed to supporting Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures across the West Dorset constituency. NFM comprises of using natural processes to reduce the risk of flooding, often to slow and store water. The EA is currently supporting, (via the Water Environment Improvement Fund), a Dorset Wildlife Trust flagship project, Frome Headwaters. This project has a multi-beneficial focus including enhanced water quality monitoring, stakeholder engagement and project development and delivery with a focus on working with natural processes to reduce sediment input and improve habitat that will also reduce flood risk. The EA has previously funded projects on the River Hooke upstream of Maiden Newton and will continue to explore NFM options with partners and communities across the area.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the recent decline in the number of agricultural workers.

We recognise that it is vital that the agricultural sector have the labour they need to harvest great British produce and grow their businesses. For this reason, Defra regularly monitors agricultural labour numbers, with the most recent assessment for 1 June 2024 being published here on 15 December 2024. To help support the sector, Defra and Home Office have agreed to a 5-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route. This will give farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. However, we remain firmly committed to reduce our reliance on overseas labour. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually reducing visa numbers as we develop innovative and Agri-tech solutions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help farmers adopt soil management practices that enhance moisture retention during hot and dry conditions.

Healthy soils have improved resilience to extreme weather, and soil moisture is an important factor in soil health. Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes include actions that support healthy soil. This includes payments for actions to improve soil health, including herbal leys and multi-species cover crops. 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. We now have more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, enabling us to boost Britain’s food security while accelerating the transition to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

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.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote the distribution of cost-effective technological innovations to the farming community in West Dorset.

We are committed to supporting technological innovation on farm so all farming sectors can maximise their levels of productivity whilst increasing their sustainability and resilience. As announced at the NFU Conference, the next window of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) will launch in Spring 2025. This will support 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. 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 later in the year a further £63 million will be available in innovation grants under the Programme to support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers. We are looking carefully at how to position further investment and support to enable the delivery of this Government's objectives as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

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 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.