An important article….
Organic September is a month long celebration of organic food and farming. In this article Phil Sumption of the Organic Research Centre sets out why organic farming is still important and relevant as we battle biodiversity and climate crises.
There is a buzz around regenerative agriculture at the moment and it is great to see a ‘groundswell’ of farmers embracing the principles with a focus on soil health; minimising soil disturbance, keeping the soil covered, keeping living roots in the soil, maximising plant or crop diversity and integrating livestock into the farming system. While definitions around regenerative agriculture can be a bit woolly and certification is in its infancy, organic farming is legally defined and protected. Some say that regenerative agriculture is ‘beyond organic’ but there is much of regenerative agriculture that is integral to organic farming in its true expression. For that it is best to look at the IFOAM organic principles. The Principles of Health, Ecology, Fairness, and Care are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops. They express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world, and a vision to improve all agriculture in a global context.
Across the channel the European Union has an Organic Action Plan that sets out to achieve the European Green Deal target of 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030. But despite 12 years of growth in the UK organic market, organic farming is stuck at 3% of UK farmland – as the market relies heavily on imports (Soil Association Organic Market Report 2024)
