The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 currently applies to the pig and poultry sectors for farms above certain thresholds. It is a regulatory process setting out minimum standards – also known as ‘best practise techniques’ – for operation. These aim to reduce pollution and potential risk to the environment or human health.
In 2018, the government proposed an ambition within the Clean Air Strategy that environmental permitting should be extended to ‘large dairy farms.’ The focus of this within the strategy being ammonia emissions.
Most recently, the government has restated this ambition in its Water White Paper, setting out proposals to extend environmental permitting to the cattle sectors, which includes dairy and ‘intensive beef’.
The NFU is working hard on behalf of its members to ensure both Defra and the Environment Agency understand the huge impact permitting would have on producers and the cost and burden this will place not just on the farmgate, but on the wider supply chain. We are working with Defra, the Environment Agency and wider industry stakeholders to ensure any future regulations works alongside productive, profitable businesses.
It is vital that we continue to showcase ongoing improvements and continue best practise in relation to both water and air quality to reduce the burden of regulation and demonstrate clear accountability and action.
Use the timeline, below, to track the NFU's lobbying work on the impact of extending EPR (Environmental Permitting Regulations) to the dairy industry.
17 March: NFU President Tom Bradshaw will meet with Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle to discuss a number of topics including EPR.
25 March: NFU Deputy President Paul Tompkins will meet with Minister for Water and Flooding Emma Hardy.
Next steps
- The NFU will continue to engage with Defra, the EA and other relevant stakeholders to ensure farmers voices are heard.
- We will continue to share sector concerns and alternative routes to improve the sector environmental performance.
- Dairy and livestock specific surveys will launch in March 2026.
- We will set out how the industry can deliver an alternative option to permitting that demonstrates continuous environmental improvement and captures on farm practices already taking place, while working alongside business needs and the diverse range of systems throughout England.
EPR raised at NFU Conference
The NFU met with EA Chair Alan Lovell during the NFU's annual conference.
NFU sets out its policy asks on EPR
The NFU's dairy and livestock teams collaborated on a a set of key policy principles it believes must sit behind any proposed regulatory option included in a future consultation.
NFU takes concerns direct to government officials
The NFU met with Defra's air and water quality team regarding environmental permitting.
Following this meeting, the NFU's dairy and livestock teams began work on upcoming member surveys for both sectors, due to be launched in mid-March 2026.
Water White Paper sparks concern
The government published it’s Water White Paper setting out what it calls a ‘once-in-a-generation’ plan to reform the water system. The NFU raised concerns over (expected) proposals to extend environmental permitting to cattle farming.
Engagement continuues over permitting proposals
The NFU kept the dialogue open through ongoing engagement and conversations with Defra and the EA on permitting proposals, with meetings taking place on farm, notably a meeting with EA Chair Alan Lovell in December of 2025.
We also engaged with AHDB and other industry stakeholders to ensure the impact of regulatory change across the agricultural sector was understood.
NFU raises concerns over slurry management
The NFU continued to meet with with Defra and the EA on slurry management and permitting proposals, with meetings taking place in May, June and August of 2024, including with EA Chair Alan Lovell.
NFU intentions survey captures member data
The NFU's Dairy Intentions Survey captured data from members related to investment, infrastructure, regulation and compliance, to better understand on-farm practices and investment needs.
The then NFU President, Minette Batters, and NFU Director of Policy Andrew Clark joined sector board chairs and EA (Environment Agency) representatives on-farm to discuss member concerns.
NFU demonstrates risk emissions toolkit prototype
The NFU demonstrated a less burdensome approach to reducing the sector’s environmental impact through a prototype of the risk emissions toolkit. This was shared with Defra, EA, AHDB, CIEL and officials at No.10.
We requested and received feedback from Defra on what the toolkit needed to look like to be a viable option in a future consultation.
Ongoing policy input
Engagement in Defra co-design workshops on ammonia policy and best available techniques development
NFU conducted sector impact review
Th NFU looked at the impact permitting has had on other sectors and the cost of compliance – followed by an economic impact assessment of this style of permitting on the dairy sector.
At the time this found that permitting would cost the dairy sector circa £50m in the first year alone just for the cost of a permit and £25m every year after that, before any investment is made to mitigate emissions.
NFU conducts system review
The NFU reviewed permitting systems in other countries, including a visit to the Netherlands to look at the cost of permitting style regulations on those farm businesses.
This included a review of techniques such as acidification, RENURE, nutrient splitting and appropriateness/accessibility for UK businesses
Dairy Environmental Issues Group created
The NFU pulled together the Dairy Environmental Issues Group to aid industry and government engagement on this topic.
NFU supports production of ammonia guidance document
The NFU supported Defra in helping to write the Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Reducing Ammonia Emissions.
On-farm visits demonstrate farm systems
The NFU hosted a number of farm visits to demonstrate different farm systems and their ability to comply (or not) with the proposals in the Clean Air Strategy. Key government officials including for Ministers, shadow Ministers, deputy directors of Defra, the EA and the air quality team were present on the visits.
Ongoing engagement
The NFU continued its engagement with engaged with EA, Defra, consultants, Ministers and No.10 Downing Street.
We also coordinated a workshop with sustainability consultants Ricardo, along with NFU members.
Survey of dairy members
The NFU also conduced a dairy environmental issues survey to capture a snapshot of infrastructure needs, slurry management and on-farm practices.
NFU responds to draft Clean Air Strategy
The NFU responded on behalf of its members to the government's consultation on its draft Clean Air Strategy 2018, which set out actions to improve air quality by reducing pollution from a wide range of sources, and included reducing emissions from farming.
