GOV.UK
Yorkshire will be better protected from floods this winter
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom announces new state of the art pumps for York's Foss Barrier - providing a 66% increase in capacity.
Department
for Environment
Food & Rural Affairs
UK ban on modern day ivory sales
Plans announced to help bring an end to illegal elephant poaching and ivory trafficking
Asian hornet identified in Gloucestershire
There has been a confirmed sighting of the Asian hornet in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire
New plan for stronger flood defences
Lessons learnt from last winter’s floods have helped build a new approach so the nation is better prepared and more resilient to flooding.
Microbead ban announced to protect sealife
Government announces plans to ban microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products.
First £1 million paid to help recovery of flood-hit farmers
Over £1 million has been paid out by the government to more than 180 flood-hit farmers to help their business recovery after last winter’s storms.
Latest
-
Countryside Stewardship: Mid Tier (including water quality capital items) manual
- updated
- Guidance
-
Countryside Stewardship
- updated
- Collection
-
Grassland derogations for livestock manure in nitrate vulnerable zones
- updated
- Guidance
What we do
We are the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
Defra is a ministerial department, supported by 33 agencies and public bodies.
Documents
Our announcements
-
Yorkshire will be better protected from floods this winter
- Press release
-
UK ban on modern day ivory sales
- Press release
Our consultations
Our publications
Our statistics
-
Latest UK milk prices and composition of milk
- National Statistics
-
Historical statistics notices on UK milk prices and composition of milk, 2016
- National Statistics
Our ministers
Our management
-
Clare Moriarty
Permanent Secretary
-
Professor Ian Boyd
Defra Chief Scientific Adviser
-
Betsy Bassis
Director General, Chief Operating Officer
-
Nick Joicey
Director General, Strategy, International, Food and Farming
-
Sonia Phippard
Director General, Environment and Rural
-
Mark McLaughlin
Chief Finance Officer
-
Emma Howard Boyd
Ex officio Defra board member
-
Andrew Sells
Ex officio Defra board member
-
Steve Holliday
Non-executive board member
-
Peter Bonfield
Non-executive board member
-
Catherine Doran
Non-executive board member
-
Paul Rew
Non-executive board member
Contact Defra
Defra Helpline
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Telephone (UK only) 03459 33 55 77
Telephone (from outside the UK) +44 20 7238 6951
The quickest way to get a response is to call our Helpline which is open Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (find out about call charges at www.gov.uk/call-charges). Alternatively you can email us at defra.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk or write to us at the postal address given above. We aim to reply to emails or letters within fifteen working days.
Defra Rural Services helpline
Telephone 03000 200 301
Contact the Defra Rural Services helpline for farming-related advice.
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.
Find out about call charges at www.gov.uk/call-charges.
Pet Travel Scheme helpline
Pet Travel Section
Eden Bridge House
Lowther Street
Carlisle
CA3 8DX
Email pettravel@apha.gsi.gov.uk
Pet Travel Scheme helpline 0370 241 1710
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (closed on bank holidays).
Find out about call charges at www.gov.uk/call-charges.
Make an FOI request
- Read about the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and how to make a request
- Check our previous releases to see if we’ve already answered your question
- Make a new request by contacting us at:
High profile groups within Defra
Corporate information
Jobs and contracts
Read about the types of information we routinely publish in our Publication scheme. Our Personal information charter explains how we treat your personal information.