Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We are responsible for improving and protecting the environment. We aim to grow a green economy and sustain thriving rural communities. We also support our world-leading food, farming and fishing industries. Defra is a ministerial department, supported by 34 agencies and public bodies.

Website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

Ministers

• The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP
  Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• The Rt Hon Lord Benyon
  Minister of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs)
• The Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP
  Minister of State (Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries)
• Trudy Harrison MP
  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use)
• Rebecca Pow MP
  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience)

Petitions linked to this department

Sorted by date, most recent first

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• Oldest
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• Create a Charter of Stewardship for farming, food & heritage sports sectors
  Opened on Thursday 7th May 2026
  14 signatures so far

• Remove Wels catfish non-native invasive status, review restrictions on stocking
  Opened on Thursday 7th May 2026
  28 signatures so far

• Ban chemical flame retardants in UK furniture to align with EU standards
  Opened on Wednesday 6th May 2026
  96 signatures so far

• Introduce a higher, sector-specific Minimum Wage for PCAs and veterinary nurses
  Opened on Tuesday 5th May 2026
  13 signatures so far

• Require coconut be labelled as an allergen on food packaging
  Opened on Tuesday 5th May 2026
  292 signatures so far

• Introduce ban on keeping wolves in captivity
  Opened on Tuesday 5th May 2026
  1,207 signatures so far

• Protect road verges for wildlife — stop non-essential mowing from April to Sept
  Opened on Friday 1st May 2026
  56 signatures so far

• Require tracking of companion animal euthanasia to prevent unnecessary deaths
  Opened on Friday 1st May 2026
  896 signatures so far

• Fully subsidise core vaccinations for every dog
  Opened on Friday 1st May 2026
  23 signatures so far

• Make it mandatory for food services to provide detailed carbohydrate information
  Opened on Friday 1st May 2026
  219 signatures so far

• Ensure new sewage treatment infrastructure meets higher standards as in the EU
  Opened on Friday 1st May 2026
  2,972 signatures so far

• New legislation for ponds to have safety measures to prevent access by children
  Opened on Thursday 30th April 2026
  3,595 signatures so far

• Ban domestic flights on routes that can be travelled by train in under 4.5 hours
  Opened on Wednesday 29th April 2026
  90 signatures so far

• Legalise keeping raccoons as pets
  Opened on Tuesday 28th April 2026
  14 signatures so far

• Amend the 2013 Code of Practice to help support essential mobile food providers
  Opened on Monday 27th April 2026
  21 signatures so far

• Cap Out-Of-Hours Veterinary Fees to Prevent Pet Abandonment
  Opened on Monday 27th April 2026
  153 signatures so far

• Make it illegal to walk dogs during extreme heat to prevent suffering and death.
  Opened on Friday 24th April 2026
  28 signatures so far

• Protect raced greyhounds from exports by introducing spay/neuter laws
  Opened on Friday 24th April 2026
  10,534 signatures so far

• Fund more initiatives to stop pollution
  Opened on Friday 24th April 2026
  22 signatures so far

• Change the law for pet food so manufacturers have to announce recipe change
  Opened on Friday 24th April 2026
  51 signatures so far

• Hold a public inquiry into the handling of raw sewage by water companies
  Opened on Thursday 23rd April 2026
  73 signatures so far

• Mandate action on Excessive Dog Barking Noise
  Opened on Tuesday 21st April 2026
  78 signatures so far

• Fully incorporate EU food safety standards into UK law
  Opened on Monday 20th April 2026
  90 signatures so far

• Do not introduce licensing for gamebird shooting
  Opened on Monday 20th April 2026
  30 signatures so far

• Ban breeding of specific cats and dogs
  Opened on Monday 20th April 2026
  44 signatures so far

• Ban the sale of single-use plastic drinks bottles in UK schools
  Opened on Friday 17th April 2026
  119 signatures so far

• Grant Legal Personhood Rights to all chalk streams
  Opened on Thursday 16th April 2026
  29 signatures so far

• Mandatory hygiene and allergy certificate for anyone handling or selling food
  Opened on Tuesday 14th April 2026
  49 signatures so far

• Launch a Public Consultation on the Reintroduction of the Eurasian Lynx
  Opened on Monday 13th April 2026
  34 signatures so far

• Extend Ukraine pet entry arrangements to citizens returning from conflict areas
  Opened on Friday 10th April 2026
  34 signatures so far

• Ban water company shareholder dividend payments if they pollute in dry weather
  Opened on Friday 10th April 2026
  118 signatures so far

• Ban zoos and fund more natural reserves and national parks
  Opened on Thursday 9th April 2026
  33 signatures so far

• Make it illegal to fire any kind of gun within 15 miles of a residential home
  Opened on Wednesday 8th April 2026
  135 signatures so far

• Review and Strengthen Animal Welfare Laws for Farmed Animals and Fish
  Opened on Tuesday 7th April 2026
  40 signatures so far

• Align UK chemical bans with EU and rejoin EU Safety Gate alert system
  Opened on Tuesday 7th April 2026
  79 signatures so far

• Provide a legal pathway to “de-exempt” XL Bully dogs exempted as a precaution
  Opened on Tuesday 7th April 2026
  4,573 signatures so far

• Legally require vegetarian and vegan food to be cooked and prepared separately
  Opened on Tuesday 7th April 2026
  284 signatures so far

• Add Meerkats to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
  Opened on Thursday 2nd April 2026
  21 signatures so far

• Scrap landfill tax, review fly-tipping enforcement and fund council-led clean up
  Opened on Wednesday 1st April 2026
  64 signatures so far

• Government to enhance powers of the Environment Agency against waste offenders
  Opened on Wednesday 1st April 2026
  305 signatures so far

• Ban all raw sewage dumping, mandate real time warning system & investment
  Opened on Wednesday 1st April 2026
  95 signatures so far

• Ban Hunts hounds & hunt members from bridleways & footpaths through private land
  Opened on Tuesday 31st March 2026
  55 signatures so far

• Reform of Labelling Regulations for Fishmeal and Aquaculture Feed Products
  Opened on Tuesday 31st March 2026
  28 signatures so far

• Ban non-stun & recoverable stun slaughter of animals
  Opened on Monday 30th March 2026
  36,079 signatures so far

• Require action to address very hard water levels
  Opened on Monday 30th March 2026
  43 signatures so far

• Ban Supermarkets from selling fresh produce in plastic & require it to be loose
  Opened on Monday 30th March 2026
  95 signatures so far

• Make horse owners legally responsible for removing manure from public areas
  Opened on Friday 27th March 2026
  39 signatures so far

• Hold Developers More Accountable in New Builds to Help Protect Nature
  Opened on Friday 27th March 2026
  149 signatures so far

• Introduce a dog traceability system to run alongside Livestock Services
  Opened on Friday 27th March 2026
  100 signatures so far

• Make it mandatory for foods that contain any alcohol to have logo
  Opened on Friday 27th March 2026
  258 signatures so far

• Require background checks before customers can purchase an animal
  Opened on Thursday 26th March 2026
  146 signatures so far

• End slaughter of animals without prior stunning in the UK
  Opened on Thursday 26th March 2026
  149 signatures so far

• Introduce stricter welfare standards and inspections for pets kept in pet shops
  Opened on Thursday 26th March 2026
  81 signatures so far

• Require Directors be responsible for and minimise company’s environmental impact
  Opened on Tuesday 24th March 2026
  118 signatures so far

• Reform the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to remove breed bans and introduce licensing
  Opened on Tuesday 24th March 2026
  2,219 signatures so far

• Introduce Pet Licence for cats and dogs and require reporting cat collisions
  Opened on Monday 23rd March 2026
  43 signatures so far

• Introduce targeted coastal trawling bans to protect ecosystems & reduce erosion
  Opened on Monday 23rd March 2026
  61 signatures so far

• Ban the Production and Sale of Lab-Grown Meat
  Opened on Friday 20th March 2026
  137 signatures so far

• Ban the use of choke chains and choke leads on dogs
  Opened on Thursday 19th March 2026
  59 signatures so far

• Ban trail hunting
  Opened on Wednesday 18th March 2026
  284 signatures so far

• Review Dangerous Dog Act 1991 and bring in dog ownership license and dog tagging
  Opened on Tuesday 17th March 2026
  817 signatures so far

• Allow Licensed Raw Milk Sales in Supermarkets
  Opened on Monday 16th March 2026
  1,987 signatures so far

• Ban the sale of Paan on health and environmental grounds
  Opened on Monday 16th March 2026
  46 signatures so far

• UK to mandate "zero plastic pellet loss" in line with new EU law ASAP
  Opened on Friday 13th March 2026
  285 signatures so far

• Impose a 40% import duty on all Japanese goods
  Opened on Friday 13th March 2026
  25 signatures so far

• Make a public animal abuser register & automatically ban ownership
  Opened on Thursday 12th March 2026
  197,043 signatures so far

• Remove VAT on all veterinary care services & fund new support for vet services
  Opened on Thursday 12th March 2026
  2,122 signatures so far

• Review education about nutrition and responsible farming in schools
  Opened on Wednesday 11th March 2026
  56 signatures so far

• Legalise Wild Camping In England
  Opened on Tuesday 10th March 2026
  190 signatures so far

• Ban puppy yoga, puppy Pilates and other “puppy cuddle therapy”
  Opened on Tuesday 10th March 2026
  2,302 signatures so far

• Stop the move to mandatory weekly food waste collection
  Opened on Friday 6th March 2026
  173 signatures so far

• Review and strengthen enforcement of welfare laws for animals in street begging
  Opened on Friday 6th March 2026
  599 signatures so far

• DEFRA Pursue UK Wide Monitoring & Publication of Farmed Salmon Safety & Welfare
  Opened on Friday 6th March 2026
  575 signatures so far

• Stop price increases by water service providers failing environmental standards
  Opened on Friday 6th March 2026
  512 signatures so far

• Fund vape bins to cut litter, protect wildlife, and promote cleaner streets
  Opened on Thursday 5th March 2026
  53 signatures so far

• Ban all plastic in food and drink packaging
  Opened on Tuesday 3rd March 2026
  100 signatures so far

• Mandate neutering of free roaming pet Cats
  Opened on Tuesday 3rd March 2026
  205 signatures so far

• Amend Dangerous Dogs Act to recognise and fund rehoming of non-dangerous dogs
  Opened on Wednesday 25th February 2026
  1,798 signatures so far

• Nationalise water companies to make water a non profit publicly owned asset
  Opened on Wednesday 25th February 2026
  27,710 signatures so far

• Review of mandatory cat microchipping and informed consent requirements
  Opened on Tuesday 24th February 2026
  64 signatures so far

• Reduce roadside littering: penalty points, increase fines, fund litter picks
  Opened on Monday 23rd February 2026
  8,403 signatures so far

• Review licensing affecting captive bred bird exhibitions
  Opened on Monday 23rd February 2026
  856 signatures so far

• Seek to negotiate recognition of licences exempting dogs under the DDA across UK
  Opened on Friday 20th February 2026
  51 signatures so far

• Ban water company bill hikes & reduce shareholder dividends to fund repairs
  Opened on Friday 20th February 2026
  206 signatures so far

• Ban the use of Prong collars and Electric Shock Collars on Dogs and Cats in UK
  Opened on Friday 20th February 2026
  709 signatures so far

• Ensure Peaceful Protesting Outside Animal-Testing Facilities Is Not Criminalised
  Opened on Thursday 19th February 2026
  70 signatures so far

• Improve food labelling laws to clearly list all ingredients
  Opened on Wednesday 18th February 2026
  158 signatures so far

• Require major online retailers to state the recyclability of product packaging
  Opened on Wednesday 18th February 2026
  32 signatures so far

• Replace ban with regulated license system for certain dog breeds
  Opened on Tuesday 17th February 2026
  34 signatures so far

• Require all owned cats to be neutered
  Opened on Monday 16th February 2026
  332 signatures so far

• Increase waterway dredging to help prevent flooding
  Opened on Thursday 12th February 2026
  264 signatures so far

• Mandate testing to stop PFAS and toxic chemicals in products sold across the UK
  Opened on Wednesday 11th February 2026
  123 signatures so far

• Ban all supermarkets from throwing away edible food & require their donation
  Opened on Wednesday 11th February 2026
  121 signatures so far

• Fund a new government-backed animal cruelty policing unit
  Opened on Tuesday 10th February 2026
  10,452 signatures so far

• Introduce mandatory neutering of non-breeding cats
  Opened on Tuesday 10th February 2026
  262 signatures so far

• Fund green spaces for communities impacted by major infrastructure developments
  Opened on Tuesday 10th February 2026
  48 signatures so far

• Ban councils from using third party litter enforcement companies
  Opened on Tuesday 10th February 2026
  192 signatures so far

• Ban public use of fireworks on New Year’s Eve & promote quieter alternatives
  Opened on Tuesday 10th February 2026
  120 signatures so far

• Increase fines and make councils remove fly tipping from farms & nature reserve
  Opened on Monday 9th February 2026
  91 signatures so far

• Revise and make statutory the Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go
  Opened on Monday 9th February 2026
  1,463 signatures so far

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