Sustainable Food Trust
Articles, films and images from the Sustainable Food Trust.
Articles, films and images from the Sustainable Food Trust.
Our briefing on local abattoirs to the House of Lords for the Committee Stage of the Agriculture Bill
The Sustainable Food Trust has joined organisations and academics in calling on supermarkets to commit not to sell imported food produced to standards lower than those that apply in the UK
Next in our series on farming and climate change we interview Anna Jones-Crabtree, who owns and runs Vilicus Farms with her husband, Doug Crabtree
Patrick Holden chairs this roundtable by Land Management 2.0 exploring the role of local food in future food and farming systems
The Agriculture Bill, which will govern the way England is farmed for many years, is going through its final stages in the House of Commons this afternoon. The Sustainable Food Trust welcomes the many...
We set out why we feel the Government will be making a huge mistake if it pushes through the Agriculture Bill in its current form
We interview Nate Drummond who is the owner of Six River Farm in Maine along with his partner Gabrielle Gosselin to understand how they view climate change and to discover the steps they are taking to...
This week’s podcast features Patrick in conversation with journalist and broadcaster John Humphrys about how food systems have coped with the coronavirus and the challenges in motivating people to t...
We update on work for our latest study which will estimate the food production outcomes of a nation-wide conversion to sustainable production methods, and calculate the per capita availability of food...
First in our farming and climate change series, we feature Will Harris of White Oak Pastures
In this episode Patrick speaks to regenerative farmer Will Harris, based in the United States, in Bluffton, Georgia.
We share five of our favourite websites that help you find local food during the Covid-19 crisis. They are working across the whole of the UK to support farmers and growers, consumers and retailers
In this episode Patrick speaks to American farmer and pioneer in regenerative agriculture, Joel Salatin, about local and resilient food systems.
The coronavirus has exposed the "intense fragility of our current food system" explains Caroline Lucas, in conversation with Patrick Holden. What can the Government do to ensure food systems are res...
In this podcast, Patrick Holden speaks to ffinlo Costain and Roland Bonney about how to develop more transparent, welfare-friendly and sustainable livestock farming systems.
In this first podcast, Patrick speaks to journalist and author George Monbiot about the future of farming in the UK, and the meat vs plant-based diet debate.
The unacceptable costs of growing chicken consumption have been revealed in a new report from the Eating Better alliance
In this Farm Gate podcast, ffinlo Costain speaks to leaders of the food and farming community about their ideas for reform
In this short film, Patrick Holden speaks to National Food Strategy Independent Lead, Henry Dimbleby, about making sustainable farming pay
Follow the links for films, write ups and press releases from the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2020
In a briefing published today, the Sustainable Food Trust (SFT) sets out its continuing concerns about the new Agriculture Bill [1], the second reading of which takes place today. The SFT welcomes th...
The Sustainable Food Trust, along with 63 other farming, health and environmental organisations, has signed an open letter from the NFU to PM Boris Johnson to protect UK food and farming standards.
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.