Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities. It was formed in June 2001 when the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) was merged with part of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). The department was created after the perceived failure of MAFF to deal adequately with an outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease (see 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis). The department has about 8000 core personnel as of January 2004.
Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since 21 August 2003.
Departmental agencies
- Central Science Laboratory headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Farming, Food and Sustainable Energy)
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science - headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Nature Conservation and Fisheries)
- Countryside Agency
- Forest Enterprise (England) headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Nature Conservation and Fisheries)
- Forest Enterprise (Scotland) headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Nature Conservation and Fisheries)
- Forest Enterprise (Wales) headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Nature Conservation and Fisheries)
- Forestry Research headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Nature Conservation and Fisheries)
- Pesticides Safety Directorate headed by the Minister of State (Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality)
- Rural Payments Agency headed by the Minister of State (Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality)
- Veterinary Laboratories Agency headed by the Parliamentary Secretary (Nature Conservation and Fisheries)
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