In the middle of March, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said they were exploring plans to change the fertiliser regulations in the UK. As part of this, there would be a consultation period. The aim is to give stakeholders the chance to give their views and supply evidence. A few days ago (12th May) they announced an extension, giving people until 10th June to respond.

Crucial updates

Updating the regulations is a fantastic opportunity. Incredibly, the current framework is over two decades old. As a result, there are several issues, including the complexity and inflexibility. Most importantly, most of the focus is on inorganic fertilisers. Therefore, the scope is rather narrow and does not acknowledge the fact there are many newer innovative products to use.

DEFRA wants to update the regulations to support British farmers and also achieve a whole host of goals. Crucially, it will help the environment, aiming to address land, water, and air pollution. In addition, it will make it easier for new products to enter the market. This will make it more agile, give farmers more choice, and will provide more protection against supply and cost pressures.

Middle East

Speaking of cost and supply issues, the government is monitoring the situation with the war in Iran and issues with the Strait of Hormuz. They, and bodies like the CMA, are keeping an eye on vital things like fertiliser supplies and potential food price increases in the future. So, it will allow a swifter response.

Most importantly, updating the regulations aims to provide more security. It aims to open the door so farmers can use a wider range of products. This could reduce reliance on products that largely come from the Middle East. Plus, ultimately, DEFRA want to ensure Brits are eating more homegrown food.

Changes to expect

New fertiliser regulations will introduce some important changes. Firstly, it includes rules for labelling and marketing. The goal is to ensure farmers will be able to easily confirm that the products they buy are safe to use and will help them to grow crops effectively.

Also expect to see changes to focus on creating a circular economy. It’s a huge opportunity in various different markets. In terms of fertilisers, the big thing is exploring the potential for using innovative technologies to recycle nutrients and create products with a smaller carbon footprint. This could also support the UK, allowing more products to be made here.

What to do?

As we said, the consultation period has now been extended to 10th June. Stakeholders can complete the survey on the DEFRA website. All responses are welcome, so don’t hesitate to participate. Most importantly, they want to see any evidence of use of newer, novel fertilisers.

Need to order fertiliser?

JS Hubbuck Ltd is a family business with a real passion for supporting UK Farming. We provide a massive range of high quality products from some of the leading producers in the world. This includes animal feeds, fertilisers, clothing and footwear, and more. We also have partners to arrange things like bespoke feeding and housing solutions. You can get all of this from us with a friendly service and fantastic support.

So, whether you need fertiliser or anything else, you can always rely on us. Get in touch today.