Review aims to simplify complex framework while maintaining environmental protections for farming sector
The Law Commission has launched a major review of the environmental legislation governing agricultural businesses in England, amid concerns that the current framework is overly complex and difficult to navigate.
The project, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will examine the wide range of laws that apply to farming, with a view to identifying opportunities to simplify, modernise and consolidate them.
Agriculture accounts for a significant proportion of land use in England and is subject to extensive regulation designed to protect the environment, safeguard public health and ensure food safety. However, the Law Commission said the current framework can be difficult to access and understand, with elements that are outdated, inconsistent or duplicative.
The review will focus on whether the existing regime is clear, coherent and fit for purpose, while maintaining existing environmental protections. It will also consider whether there are barriers to effective enforcement and whether the system relies too heavily on prescriptive rules rather than outcome-based approaches.
Professor Alison Young, the Commissioner leading the project, said the review was an important opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the current framework.
She said it would examine whether environmental laws affecting farming are “clear, coherent and fit for purpose”, while continuing to maintain existing protections.
The Commission has made clear that it will not recommend any lowering of environmental standards and will avoid areas already subject to separate government review.
Work on the project is now under way, with stakeholder engagement expected over the coming months and a consultation paper planned for early 2027.