# Rural Development Service > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rural_Development_Service > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rural_Development_Service.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Development_Service > Source revision: 1115408848 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use British English|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} The '''Rural Development Service''' ('''RDS''') was formerly part of the [UK Government](/source/Politics_of_the_United_Kingdom)'s [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs](/source/Department_for_Environment%2C_Food_and_Rural_Affairs) (Defra). It ceased to exist on 1 October 2006 following the creation of [Natural England](/source/Natural_England). == History == The RDS was created in 2001, when the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency merged with the then [Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food](/source/Ministry_of_Agriculture%2C_Fisheries_and_Food_(United_Kingdom))'s regional service centres. The body was charged with the implementation of the [England Rural Development Programme](/source/England_Rural_Development_Programme) (ERDP), as well as a range of other rural services, placing the agency at the forefront of change in rural areas. The RDS employed 1,500, working with rural partners and local people to improve the environment, promote the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity and develop stronger rural economies and communities. Following a review by [Christopher Haskins](/source/Christopher_Haskins), enacted in the [Natural Environment and Rural Communities 2006](/source/Natural_Environment_and_Rural_Communities_Act_2006)[http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/bill/ Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413080135/http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/bill/ |date=2009-04-13 }} in March 2006, the agri-environment element of the RDS was integrated with [English Nature](/source/English_Nature) and most of the [Countryside Agency](/source/Countryside_Agency) on 1 October 2006 to form [Natural England](/source/Natural_England). Smaller elements of the RDS went to the [State Veterinary Service](/source/State_Veterinary_Service) and the [Regional Development Agency](/source/Regional_Development_Agency) in each English region. ==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060421075858/http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/ Official website], archived in April 2006 {{Authority control}} Category:Defunct public bodies of the United Kingdom Category:Economy of England Category:Environment of England Category:Agriculture in England Category:Organizations disestablished in 2006 Category:Rural development in Europe Category:2001 establishments in England Category:Government agencies established in 2001 Category:Rural society in the United Kingdom Category:2006 disestablishments in the United Kingdom --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rural Development Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Development_Service) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Development_Service?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.