Speciality Food Feb/March 2024

defined meaning of what ‘sustainable farming’ is. “There have been so many fads, trends and anacronyms over the years which are often well meaning, but quickly adopted without principle, that customers have become wary of labels,” he said. Is it really possible to feed ourselves on sustainably farmed produce? This, Gareth believes, is part of a more complicated question about what and howwe eat. “Studies show that agroecological farming, following organic principles, can feed Europe’s population, but we need to see a shift to sustainable and healthy diets while transforming farming,” he said. “Half a century of increasingly input-dependent intensive farming hasn’t worked for the planet, hasn’t made for resilient farm businesses, and it also isn’t feeding us a healthy diet. We need to move to grass-fed livestock and end intensively grown crops for industrial animal feed, and instead produce a more diverse range of protein sources for our diets alongside a dramatic increase in fruit and vegetables,” Gareth continued. “We face climate, nature and diet- related public health crises – the time is long overdue for productive nature- friendly farming that works to secure a more sustainable food system for consumers and farmers.” 10 @specialityfood With about a third of all human- caused greenhouse gas emissions being linked to the food sector, there is no doubt that the food industry must take action on the climate crisis. British farmers are beginning to adopt more sustainable farming methods – but what falls under the umbrella of ‘sustainable farming’? What is agroecology? “Agroecology is the application of ecological concepts and principles to optimise interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment, while taking into consideration the social aspects that need to be addressed for a regenerative, resilient and fair agri-food system,” saidWill White, sustainable farming coordinator at Sustain. A number of farming approaches apply many of these concepts, such as organic, permaculture and biodynamic farming. GarethMorgan, head of farming policy at the Soil Association, agrees that agroecological farming, like organic, “is the best andmost evidence-based option for a resilient and sustainable farming system in the UK”. Agroecological farming works with nature instead of against it. “Truly sustainable food is possible but challenging,” Gareth said, adding, “Humanity and farming cannot survive without wildlife. In particular, we must stop relying on harmful pesticides and fossil-fuel derived nitrogen fertilisers, which are very energy intensive to make and are driving river and air pollution." Agroecological farming in action While Gareth says there is a “groundswell of farmers working productively in harmony with nature, andmanymore are keen to do so,” he admits that progress is too slow. So what changes need to happen to boost sustainable farming in the UK? “Our supply chains need to change to prioritise the right sort of farming to make it the obvious business choice,” saidWill. “Without reducing the top-down pressure exerted from retailers on farmers, the long-term investment and thinking needed for a transition to sustainable farming will be impossible. For this we needmore punitive regulation on supermarkets, andmore farmer-focussed, localised supply chains,” he continued. Gareth called on the UK and devolved governments to “act now to support transformative change, with farmers adopting resilient, climate and wildlife sensitive methods across their entire farms”. Pioneering agroforestry Combining trees with crops or livestock is a way to work in harmony with nature – a key example of agroecology. For example, Helen Browning, chief executive of the Soil Association, is an organic farmer who has been working on an agroforestry project for seven years. She’s producing fruit crops now and has also seen increases in biodiversity, including near-threatenedmeadow pipits, which prefer the scrubby land between trees. At Eastbrook Farm, the team is growing pear trees alongside grazing cows. The trees provide shelter and shade, as well as food. They also play a role in carbon and nitrogen sequestration, and when cows graze on trees that are high in condensed tannins, this also reduces the level of methane produced in digestion. What’s more, the fruit gives the farmers another source of income. Organic farming Another way farmers can adopt agroecology on their farms is through saying no to insecticides and pesticides. Organic farming offers producers the opportunity to be reduce their carbon impact. “We're proud to say that Godminster Farm is carbon negative by 875 tonnes of CO2 per year, thanks to our many long years of sustainable organic farming practices. This means we're locking away more CO2 than we produce, with the difference equating to roughly the same as burning 239 tonnes of coal,” said Sarah Norris, head of marketing. What’s more, on average, plant, insect and bird life is 50%more abundant on organic farms, she says, and there are around 75% more wild bees on organic farms. What's next for sustainable farming? According to SamParsons, estate manager at Balcaskie in Scotland, sustainable farming is as much about looking forward as it is about looking back. “Since the 1950s, agriculture has been specialised and simplified with the support of synthetic inputs – from fertilisers to pesticides,” he said. “Simplification also creates homogenised, low labour and quantity at the expense of quality. Regenerative farming brings back the human element and, embarrassingly for us, makes us realise that we were not farming, but applying inputs. We must now relearn the skills our grandfathers had when they were truly farming. Supporting this transition enables greater improvements in the way we manage land, sequester carbon, benefit biodiversity and swap synthetic inputs for human skill. The output is a product which is proven to be better for human health and the planet.” He believes the largest barrier now is knowledge and a clearly The state of sustainable farming in the UK What does sustainable farming really mean, how are British producers championing an environmentally friendly farming method and what can speciality retailers do to support them? Speciality Food reports