Environment Agency
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There are legal requirements around certain farming activities to protect people, livestock and the environment. This page can help you find the rules that apply to you.
The rules in cross compliance still apply and you must follow those rules on your holding to receive rural payments in full.
Keep livestock
Register land you use to keep livestock
Get a temporary land association (TLA) or temporary county parish holding (CPH) number
Keeping cattle, bison and buffalo in England and Wales
Protect the public from cattle kept on land
Keeping sheep, goats, pigs and deer
Protect animal health and welfare
Protect animal welfare on farm and in transport
Produce safe-to-eat food for humans or animals
Report notifiable diseases in animals
Bovine TB: get your cattle tested in England
Responsible use of animal medicines on the farm
Protect the environment if you keep livestock
Pigs and poultry intensive farming: environmental permits
Make sure animal activities do not damage soil
Store organic manures in nitrate vulnerable zones
Store slurry, silage and agricultural fuel oil safely
Fallen stock and safe disposal of dead animals
Manage land that you own or occupy
Manage farming and horticultural activities to prevent soil erosion and water pollution
Public rights of way: landowner responsibilities
Open access land: management, rights and responsibilities
Coastal margin: management, rights and responsibilities
Sites of special scientific interest: manage sites you own or occupy
Heather and grass burning: rules and when you need a licence
Change or improve rural land: check if you need to apply for an Environmental Impact Assessment
Use pest control products
Register as a professional user of plant protection products
Use, transport or store pesticides safely
Code of practice for using plant protection products: what you legally have to do
Apply products to your land
Plan your use of fertiliser or manure to reduce water pollution
Nitrate vulnerable zones: rules when you use fertilisers or store manure
Use sewage sludge on your land
Waste exemption: spread waste to benefit your land
Burning crop residues: restrictions and rules for farmers and land managers
Produce plant varieties and seeds
Plant breeders rights: national listing of plant varieties, seed certification and farm saved seed
Protect landscape features
Hedgerows: find out if you can remove or carry out work
Get permission before you work on scheduled monuments
Manage trees and woodland
A guide to planning new woodland in England
Plan woodland projects: check if you need to apply for an Environmental Impact Assessment
Manage water
Maintain watercourses and understand permissions you need to work around them
Check if you need a licence to abstract water
Manage and dispose of waste
Manage waste on land: guidance for land managers
Discharges to surface water and groundwater: environmental permits
Sheep dip: groundwater protection code
Make compost, biogas, fertiliser or animal feed
Guidance for the animal by-products industry