Sustainable Food Trust
Articles, films and images from the Sustainable Food Trust.
Articles, films and images from the Sustainable Food Trust.
In this debate at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2020, panelists discuss the future of UK farming, and what constitutes a sustainable diet
Patrick Holden speaks to environmental campaigner and writer George Monbiot about the debate on land sharing versus land sparing and what the future holds for farming and the planet
In our session which took place at the Oxford Real Food Conference 2020 we explore the problems facing the sector and the urgent action that's needed to address them
What we should eat to be healthy and produce a healthy planet has never been more unclear or hotly contested. A panel chaired by Sarah Sands, editor of the Today programme on Radio 4 tried to find ans...
Yesterday we heard from speakers at the Oxford Real Farming Conference about the crisis facing our local meat supply as small abattoirs continue to go out of business at an alarming rate
There’s been a spate of great films over the last year which examine the issues and concerns of food and farming and how we negotiate the climate emergency in the face of these. Read our reviews and...
The Sustainable Food Trust Progress Report outlines the development and successes of the SFT over the last 8 years
We are delighted to announce that HRH The Prince of Wales has accepted an invitation to become the Patron of the Sustainable Food Trust
Ahead of the BBC 1 documentary, ‘Meat, A Threat to our Planet?’, Patrick Holden stresses the importance of differentiating between livestock systems and meats that are part of the problem, and th...
In this short film, Patrick Holden outlines why the Government needs to make sustainable farming a financially viable option.
Read our response to the UK National Food Strategy
The Campaign for Local Abattoirs submitted evidence to the UK Government's National Food Strategy in October 2019
We call on the all the political parties to state their commitment to UK farmers in their manifestos and to give a high priority to developing an environmentally sustainable and healthy food system
Read our submission of evidence to the Welsh Government consultation
We respond to the Queen's Speech opening parliament
This week, the National Farmers' Union published their plan for achieving net zero emissions from UK agriculture by 2040
This short film captures some of our favourite moments from the Farming and Climate Change conference
Join us for a weekend exploring harmony and sustainability at Holden Farm Dairy
In a programme on the Al Jazeera news channel, Patrick Holden discusses the effects that our global food systems are having on the planet and what this means in terms of a changing climate
In this interview for BBC Front Row, American writer and farmer Wendell Berry talks about a traditional rural way of life that has almost disappeared from the world
In this podcast for TEDxBristol Patrick talks about citizen buying power and the true cost of food
This film highights a selection of farm business case studies which integrate emissions reduction with the production of high quality food and the maintenance of natural capital.
"How could a combination of policy change, financial investment and market mechanisms create the conditions for sustainable farming to become mainstream?"
Sustainable Food Trust welcomes IPCC report which recognises positive role of livestock in climate change mitigation
A panel of expert professors at the Farming and Climate Change conference looked closely at the science of agricultural emissions and their impact on climate change
At our recent conference Charles Massy explores the critical role that ruminants play in landscape preservation and restoration
In this film Jonathan Dimbleby addresses an array of queries put to a panel with Minette Batters, MP Richard Benyon, Professor Michael Lee, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson and Patrick Hol...
We remember the work of Audrey Eyton who contributed to the campaign against overuse of antibiotics
On this page you can find films, photos, presentation slides and commentary on our Farming and Climate Change conference which was organised in partnership with the National Farmers' Union and hosted ...
Thanks to Jason Taylor for creating this short highlights video from our Farming and Climate Change conference at Fir Farm in July 2019
View some photo highlights by photographer Chloe Edwards from our Fir Farm 2019 event
View the powerpoint presentations from our speakers at the Fir Farm 2019 conference on Farming and Climate Change
Watch the opening session of our Farming and Climate Change conference, featuring Patrick Holden, Minette Batters, Martijn Wilder and Gail Bradbrook
We ask Nicolette Hahn Niman about livestock in sustainable agriculture, as well as about public perception, nutritional advice and her thoughts on the EAT-Lancet report
Are you looking for a summer read? Check out these recently published books on a range of sustainable food and farming issues. Questions about nutrition and how we eat and farm stand front and centre....
We speak to Dr Gail Bradbrook about why she co-founded Extinction Rebellion and what she views as the way forward to address the crisis of climate change
We speak to Dieter Helm, Chair of the Natural Capital Committee, about public money for public goods and how money can be used to accelerate the transition to sustainable farming
In this excerpt from award winning author Charles Massy's book, Call of the Reed Warbler, we hear stories about regenerative agriculture that give cause for optimism
As talk of transition, hard borders and ‘no-deal’ spreads, we wanted to find out how farmers and food businesses across the country were feeling about the future of UK agriculture.
In this podcast Andrew Green talks to Andrew Parr, chairman of J & FJ Baker and Co Ltd - the only remaining oak bark tannery remaining in Britain.
Matt Dunwell from Ragmans Farm interviews Darren Doherty on the true cost of our agricultural systems on the environment and our health, ahead of a new course led by Darren on Regrarians Farm Planning...
The Sustainable Food Trust welcomes Michael Gove's comments in support of small abattoirs
In this recorded interview with Professor Michael Lee we explore the importance of grass and grazing livestock, as well as the role of dairy in a healthy diet
Take part in the All-Party Group for Animal Welfare inquiry into the importance of small abattoirs
In the final of our Brexit series on farmer and food industry perspectives, Nathan Richards, organic grower in West Wales, gives his thoughts on what Brexit entails for small-scale vegetable growing
In this interview originally published by Borough Market, Ellie Costigan asks Patrick Holden why our food system needs to change if irreversible climate change, a biodiversity catastrophe and the brea...
Dairy and arable farmer Haydn Evans says post-Brexit he "would like to see more bespoke support systems with less regulation and more opportunity for innovation and investment that allows the rural ec...
Our session at the Oxford Real Farming conference, provided an update on the progress being made in persuading governments and markets to adopt an approach, which could for the first time link outcome...
Arable farmer Peter Lundgren shares his hopes for an Agriculture Bill post-Brexit that will reverse the damage caused by the Common Agricultural Policy.
Watch our video from the Nitrogen panel at the Oxford Real Farming Conference
As recent studies suggest consumers are becoming more concerned about avoiding plastic than they are about price, can small businesses be nimble enough to take advantage of this new consumer awareness...
"I’m not confident at all that the UK Government will be sufficiently prepared to support the British horticulture industry when we leave the EU – which is really worrying to me as a producer" say...
We would greatly appreciate it if you would write to your MP (find out who here), asking them to consider supporting Amendment 49 to the Agriculture Bill, which would see small abattoirs included in t...
Adventurer, journalist and runner, Alice Morrison travelled to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco to live with the Imlilin whilst training for the Everest Trail Race. Alice describes why family, food and ...
Sanjay Rawal is a film director based in the United States, his latest film, '3100: Run and Become', follows the participants of one of the world’s most elusive and challenging multi-day races. Sanj...
While we welcome the analysis in the EAT-Lancet report, we argue that some of the main dietary recommendations are incompatible with the food production outcomes of truly sustainable farming systems
In light of our recent session on 'Nitrogen Pollution' at the ORFC, and at the start of what will surely be an eventful and affirming year in terms of agricultural policy in the UK, we spoke to dairy ...
At the Oxford Real Farming conference 2019, the Campaign for Local Abattoirs and the Sustainable Food Trust hosted a session on Local Abattoirs, which discussed why they are closing and how we can sav...
Eliot Coleman in conversation with Patrick Holden at the Oxford Real Farming Conference
Press release from ORFC 2019 calls for local abattoirs to be recognised as a public good
Join us at the Oxford Real Farming Conference on 3rd January to hear an update on the campaign and current situation for local abattoirs.
Amidst a week of heightened political uncertainty, we speak to Garth Clark, Estate Manager at Waddesdon, about the future viability of the estate post-Brexit
With only a few months remaining before our scheduled departure from the European Union, we speak to Tim Budden of Higher Hacknell Organic Farm in North Devon, who says that his "biggest concerns abou...
Farmer Andrew Barbour reflects on what effect Brexit might have on the uplands, where his farm is home to a herd of 50 sucklers and 400 sheep.
With the Welsh Government’s consultation period for Brexit and our land: Securing the future of Welsh farming closing today, the Sustainable Food Trust has released a policy briefing paper on our vi...
The SFT is pleased to support the key messages in The RSA’s Food, Farming and Countryside Commission’s ‘Our Common Ground’ progress report
In a Parliamentary Briefing paper the Sustainable Food Trust and the Campaign for Local Abattoirs call for the assistance of MPs and Peers in helping to ensure the survival of the local meat sector, w...
The Agriculture Bill received its second reading on Wednesday and in response, the Sustainable Food Trust (SFT) published a policy briefing paper to outline its position on the Bill. While the briefin...
In this important paper, Craig Sams, former Soil Association Chairman and co-founder of Carbon Gold, argues compellingly for the introduction of soil carbon building incentives in the post brexit po...
The Sustainable Food Trust has welcomed key aspects of the Agriculture Bill but remains concerned that in extending the scope of the post-Brexit farm support package to embrace wider environmental obj...
Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths visited Patrick Holden founder and chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust at his organic dairy farm Bwlchwernen ...
The Sustainable Food Trust has been greatly saddened to learn of the death of Lord Peter Melchett
Thirty-four organisations, reflecting a wide range of food, farming, consumer and nature conservation interests have written to Defra’s Secretary of State, Michael Gove, asking him to take urgent ac...
On 3 July, members of the Campaign for Local Abattoirs gave presentations to a well-attended meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare
National Craft Butchers have outlined their position on the future of small abattoirs, calling for constructive and innovative government involvement
In a session at The Future of UK Farming conference the panel discussed how to transform the economic environment for sustainable food production by empowering farmers to deliver measurable public go...
In this interview with Food Tank, Patrick talks about TEEBAgriFood and their recent report on how to evaluate agriculture and food systems while considering a range of social, human, and environmenta...
This end of project report from the Scottish Islands Abattoir Project shows how significant and beneficial small, island abattoirs are to farmers and the local economy.
Patrick Holden sets out the Sustainable Food Trust's position on a range of issues and shares his thoughts on the future of UK farming post-Brexit in this For Food's Sake podcast with Matteo De Vos
The Sustainable Food Trust submitted a response to the government’s call for evidence on controlling live exports for slaughter and to improve animal welfare during transport after the UK leaves t...
If you missed The Future of UK Farming Conference, or simply want to re-live it, these films capture the sessions in full and include a series of thought-provoking audience questions related to themes...
Check out these recently published books on a range of sustainable food and farming issues
This is an exciting opportunity for someone to experience living and working on an organic smallholding in a beautiful setting
The 2018 Bristol Food Connections festival, taking place from 11 th – 17 th June, includes over 120 events and activities in all corners of Bristol including Patrick Holden and Richard Dunne explori...
The Future of UK Farming conference this April 2018 included keynote speeches from the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove and NFU President Minette Batters, w...
Patrick joins Sir Peter Kendall (AHDB), Angela Francis (Green Alliance) and Angela Karp (Rothamsted Research) in a debate chaired by Tom Heap to explore the meaning of 'public money for public goods' ...
The week-long celebration of Bristol’s food scene will take place from 11-17th June, with over 120 events & activities in all corners of Bristol
The Sustainable Food Trust has submitted a response to Defra's command paper consultation, Health and Harmony: The future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit
The Campaign for Local Abattoirs submits their response to the Defra Health and Harmony command paper consultation
The Future of UK Farming conference, organised by the SFT, took place this past weekend with over 300 people attending. Hosted by Sir Alan and Lady Parker at Fir Farm in the beautiful Cotswolds, it wa...
At the Future of UK Farming conference an expert panel explained why the continuing decline of small abattoirs is bad for animal welfare and runs against the growing public demand for local, traceable...
Michael Gove became the first Defra Minister to accept the critical link between sustainable food systems and healthy diets, and warned we must not, “hack at the roots of the tree of life”
The Future of UK Farming conference made the news following Secretary of State for Environment, Michael Gove's statement on meat and livestock as well as our session on the issue of small abattoir clo...
A farm walk journeying three miles from the source of the River Dickler, marked the start of the recent Future of UK Farming Conference. Led by Guy Hayward of the British Pilgrimage Trust, the walk ...
The Future of Farming, a 2-day conference [1] on 27-28 April, organised by the Sustainable Food Trust [2] is taking place at a crucial time in the final week of Defra’s Health and Harmony command pa...
John Mettrick is a butcher and small abattoir owner in Derbyshire and President of the National Federation of Meat and Food Traders. The NFMFT have now put out a press release endorsing many of the k...
The Sustainable Food Trust hosted a session on re-localising farm animal slaughter at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2018
A new report from the Sustainable Food Trust (SFT) finds that the UK’s network of small local abattoirs is near collapse. Without urgent action there will be a huge loss of consumer choice because t...
Llandovery College has created an exciting new internship programme linking principles of food, harmony and health. Interns will learn about, and help to develop, a healthy and nutritious food system...
Watch the film of our session at the Oxford Real Farming Conference where we presented our work on sustainability metrics