Natural England will resume enforcement of the law on harmful weeds, including ragwort, by reopening its complaints procedure from 1 April 2026, following sustained pressure from the Countryside Alliance.
The rural campaigning organisation raised concerns after it emerged that Natural England had stopped accepting new complaints about injurious weeds last September, despite its statutory role under the Weeds Act 1959. The Act exists to prevent the spread of toxic plants such as ragwort, which is poisonous to grazing animals, including horses and cattle, and allows landowners affected by nearby infestations to seek control measures through Natural England.
Wiltshire farmer and Countryside Alliance member Christopher Jenkin contacted the organisation after his land was affected by ragwort spreading from a neighbouring field. In response, Dr Roz Savage (South Cotswolds, Liberal Democrat) tabled a parliamentary question to Defra, which revealed that Natural England had been dealing only with historic complaints and was not taking new cases while reviewing its approach to injurious weeds.
Following advocacy from the Countryside Alliance, the government has now confirmed that the complaints procedure will reopen between 1 April and 30 October 2026, with valid forms expected to receive a response within ten working days. The Alliance has pledged to continue monitoring the situation.
James Legge, Director of Public Affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said:
“We were deeply concerned at the sudden suspension of the complaints process back in September and took action to ensure it was eventually re-opened, providing much-needed clarity to farmers and landowners.”
Landowners and farmers can find the updated guidance and complaints forms on the Natural England website, ready for use from April next year.
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