The Soil Association
18 January 2022
We are proud to be long-term supporters of the Soil Association’s pioneering work and campaigns to deliver positive change for a world with good health, in balance with nature and a safe climate: www.soilassociation.org
The way we farm, and the food we all eat, has a huge impact on our health, our climate, and our wildlife. The Soil Association’s strategy to 2030 is focused on creating a future where healthy and sustainable food and farming are the norm and accessible for all.
The Soil Association works across the whole spectrum of food system to drive positive action for people and planet:
- Supporting UK farmers to transition to nature-friendly farming and integrate more trees and woodland into their farms.
- Leading a national good food movement that boosts the availability of healthy, sustainable and affordable food for all.
- Using evidence and insight gained from our work with farmers and caterers to influence policy and bring about wider systemic changes.
Since 2020, Earthsong Foundation has focused support on the Soil Association’s policy and campaigning work, advocating for the supportive legislation which will enable a future of regeneration, transforming the way we farm, eat and look after the environment.
The Soil Association’s policy team is a leading voice in the sustainable food movement.
Every week, the team meets with representatives from a wide range of organisations including NGOs, parliament and Defra. Building on the experience and insight gained from their on-the-ground programmes such as Food for Life, the policy team promotes progressive policies to ensure the highest environmental and animal welfare standards.
The Soil Association’s policy work amplifies the impact of its on-the-ground programmes. For instance, 99% of farmers would recommend participating in the Innovative Farmers programme, which has launched over 150 research field labs. Beyond practical impacts including improved resilience, confidence and understanding, Innovative Farmers has proven that farmer-led research leads to actionable learnings and stronger networks. In 2024, Defra introduced a new fund to support farmer innovation following this proof of concept.
Following lobbying by the Soil Association and the wider organic sector, Defra will continue supporting organic farming through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. In Wales, there is now a commitment to support organic farming in sustainable farming schemes, thanks to the efforts of our Head of Policy in Wales. In Scotland, the Soil Association has secured a commitment from the Scottish Government to produce an Organic Action Plan and is now collaborating with key stakeholders to develop a draft plan.
The Soil Association also runs impactful public-facing campaigns to spotlight key issues and demonstrate public support to policymakers. In 2024, the charity campaigned for policy changes to tackle the issue of nitrogen run-off from industrial chicken farms which is killing our rivers, set out in this report Stop Killing Our Rivers. Over 30,000 people signed the petition and 3,000 letters were sent to MPs to highlight the issue. Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, Dr Ellie Chowns, took the petition to parliament to call for a ban on new intensive chicken units.
The Soil Association was the first NGO in the UK to have a dedicated advocacy and campaigns workstream focused on ultra-processed food. In 2023, the Soil Association launched its “Taking the Biscuit” campaign and the British Nutrition Foundation has since issued a positioning statement warning against the inclusion of ultra-processed foods in national dietary guidelines. In 2024, Soil Association Head of Food Policy, Rob Percival, gave evidence to the ‘Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’ in the House of Lords, urging the government to take action on the rise of ultra-processed food consumption in the UK. The resulting Food System Report marks an important milestone in the journey towards a healthier and more sustainable food system and indicates these issue are firmly on the government agenda. You can read Rob’s response to the report here: Soil Association successfully advocates for shift away from ultra-processed food.
Working together with farmers, businesses, policymakers and fellow citizens, the work of the Soil Association is making a positive impact on the food we eat and the environment we live in. Throughout their history, they’ve campaigned for change on a global scale, supported farming innovation, and developed world-leading standards to protect the future health of our communities, animals, and environment.
We support the Soil Association because we know that, together, we can make a world of difference.