The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is seeking evidence on the environmental and animal health and welfare impacts of gamebird rearing, release and shooting in England.

As set out in the Land Use Framework, published on 18 March 2026 under the previous administration, any future policy considerations would begin with evidence gathering and any proposed changes will be subject to public consultation.

In line with the Government’s commitment in the Animal Welfare Strategy for England, responses submitted as part of this call for evidence will be used to further understanding of current management practice and welfare issues relating to the breeding and rearing of gamebirds in the gamebird sector.

Gamebird rearing, release and shooting form part of rural land use and management in England and indeed across the UK. The policy is devolved in respect of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This call for evidence is for England only although evidence gathered elsewhere that is relevant to the situation in England is also welcome.

This call for evidence seeks to gather all existing information and evidence on both positive and negative impacts of gamebird release and shooting and welfare during rearing, to support the government’s understanding of this issue. Separately, we are also commissioning an independent assessment of the economic value of the gamebird sector.

We welcome a range of evidence types, including peer‑reviewed research, grey literature (e.g. research reports, working papers, NGO reports), official statistics, evaluation studies, monitoring data, and well-documented operational or experiential evidence. While all submissions to this call for evidence will be considered, greater weight will be given to evidence that demonstrates a transparent and verifiable evidence trail, provides relevant context for the evidence submitted, and includes clear rationales for any conclusions or observations, with links to the evidence provided where possible. Where possible, respondents should provide sources, methodologies, and any limitations of the evidence submitted. Submissions should provide sufficient detail on methods, context (including timeframes) and limitations to enable appropriate assessment.