Soil Association

🐄Dairy farmers
💡WEBINAR on Weds 8 April, 1-2:15pm

Hear about the whys & wherefores of converting to #organic dairy production

With consultant Rob Daykin, Peter Cheek (Godminster Organic Dairy), inspector Doug Stevens & our farming advisor Jerry Alford

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1984...

🌱 Join us to examine the pressures of working on lowland peat soils - highly productive farmland responsible for a significant proportion of agricultural #GHG emissions

Farming the Fens
Thur 9 Apr, 1-2.15pm

With NBSoil, Fenland SOIL, G’s Norfolk & G’s Fresh
🖇️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1984468967...

Join our farming advisors for a comprehensive look at #SFI26

We'll
⛏️ dig into available options
💡 offer practical guidance on planning & preparing applications
🐝 look at how schemes can integrate into different farming systems

For #organic & non-organic farmers
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1984133641...

📣WEBINAR📣 Going Organic: Practical Steps for Dairy Farmers

Come along if you're
🐄 a dairy farmers looking at organic transition options
🌱 in the early stages of conversion
💡 wanting to learn about organic systems & certification requirements

Wed 8 April 1-2:15pm
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/goin...

Thousands of jute sticks float in the river, creating natural patterns in Bangladesh. Jute is soaked in water for 20-25 days to separate the jute fibre from the plant stem. The fibres are then sold for use in textiles such as yarn, sacks, carpets, and curtains – a vital part of Bangladesh’s economy.

Growers, want to know how to manage pests & diseases without inputs?

WEBINAR: IPM in Action
with Andy Dibben & Dave Barfoot, Prof Rosemary Collier & OGA's Steven Jacobs
Thur 12 Mar 1-2.30pm

#IntegratedPestManagement: boost resilience with beneficial insects

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1981420058...

Considering organic conversion for your horticulture business?

Join this online webinar to learn about organic market opportunities, the conversion process and the practicalities of organic horticulture production.

👉Sign up: http://bit.ly/4rb2gnX

🍎 What happens to orchard wood at the end of its life?

Join us with growers Ali Capper & Rob Collins to discuss biochar packaging as a sustainable solution

📅 Thurs 26 Feb, 1–2pm
🔗 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1980629286...

@greatbritishapples.bsky.social @innovateuk.bsky.social #LCA

🌳Join Ben Raskin, @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social's @vickihird.bsky.social, farmer Mark Lea, & Bee Happy Plants' Sarah Holdsworth for free webinar on #agroforestry for #pollinators

🐝Boost #biodiversity, improve #productivity & build #resilience

📅 24 Feb, 7pm
🔗 www.eventbrite.com/e/1977367740...

🦋 We can't produce food without nature. Yet it's in decline - especially in the UK.

👫No more tinkering around the edges - we have to prioritise a food system that puts nature at its heart. Then we must support the people who can make it happen.

✊We need to revive nature on farmland, now.

📣Farm walk
Wed 11 Feb, 10am-3pm
Mindrum Farm, Northumberland
Free, inc lunch

🌱Join us & farmer Tom Fairfax for a day on improving soil quality & transition to organic

🐏With contributions from a sheep vet, fellow farmers & Director for Newcastle Uni Farms

Book: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1979711789...

What’s next for healthy and sustainable food?

📄The UK Government has set out a long‑awaited food strategy for England, as part of this process, we’ll inform updates to our School Food Standards

Read more on our blog 👇
soilassociation.co/459nOcl

💡1.6 million Food for Life Served Here meals are served daily across the UK

💡Through our Out to Lunch campaign we got seven chains to audit ultra-processed food across their menus

💡The Whole Truth investigation uncovered how government plans to support “minimally processed foods” were dropped

Landmark ban on junk food ads targeted at children on TV and online is a huge step forward for children’s health

At the Soil Association, we’re working on the ground with farmers, caterers and communities to raise food standards. For 2026, we're accelerating that mission.

Our impact so far:

🐑 Innovative, humane, and community-focused, the #TinyTrailerAbattoir is a game-changing initiative for small-scale and native-breed farming 🚜

Please support this fundraiser 👇
peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/...

@thesoilassociation.bsky.social

The minister’s announcement follows our letter, signed by 19 environmental orgs, calling for a 10% organic farmland target in England backed by an Organic Action Plan

Our declining wildlife can't take any more uncertainty, and we hope the government listens

Read more👇
soilassociation.co/3LDjo6N

The Sustainable Farming Incentive is back. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds has announced dates for reopening SFI at her speech at the Oxford Farming Conference (#OFC) today

After an anxious wait for farmers this is good news - but we need reassurance that SFI will back organic

And that’s a wrap for 2025! Our offices are now closed for the festive season. We won’t be able to respond to messages until the 5th of January, so if you get in touch we’ll get back to you in the new year.

Merry Christmas! 🎄

❗Method of Production and welfare labelling to drive demand for higher welfare animal foods

❗Best practices in international trade

❗More robust delivery of the Better Chicken Commitment

Read more 👇
bit.ly/3KKmKVl

Chickens in the field

The Animal Welfare Strategy has launched in a major reform to protect the lives of millions of animals

The government’s promise to ban practices already prohibited in organic is welcomed, including the use of enriched cages for hens and farrowing crates for pigs

But we want to see more of...

Boost trees on farms & protect nature & climate – Big Give Will you increase and protect trees on farms? Over 70% of the UK is farmland, so this is where we can have positive impact most quickly. By 2030, we want half of UK farms to grow and look after trees, hedges and woodland —boosting biodiversity & impr

Do you know what’s INCREDIBLE for the soil? Planting trees on farms!

This #WorldSoilDay, you can DOUBLE your impact by donating to our Big Give trees on farms campaign. Donations are matched - so show your love for soil today 🪱

#Agroforestry #BigGive

New report: Government backing of organic could deliver huge social and economic returns | Sustain A small increase in government support for organic fruit and vegetables could deliver huge national returns for communities across the UK – and failure to act will deepen the UK’s diet, climate and fa...

🥕 Meeting government goals for sourcing 50% local or sustainable food in public sector food procurement isn’t some lofty, unachievable aspiration - it’s completely possible.

The full report outlines what can be done - have a read
www.sustainweb.org/news/dec25-b...

🥕 Modest public investment in organic fruit and veg can deliver HUGE returns for communities, local economies and climate
🥕 Every pound of public money invested in climate and nature-friendly food delivers a whopping £8.78 in social, health, economic and environmental benefits...
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BREAKING - Organic is for all, not just for the privileged few. This report shows that bridging the gap between climate, nature-friendly food and people on low incomes, whilst supporting growers, IS possible

Teams across Soil Association led pilots for this groundbreaking report, which found
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Our Big Give Christmas Challenge is live! For one week only, every donation you make will be doubled — meaning your support will go twice as far to help farmers to boost trees on farms.

Donate here! soilassociation.co/3MA4TAH

The Environmental Improvement Plan (published today!) can deliver...

🥗healthier food
🐦thriving wildlife
🌊clean rivers
🌤️climate resilience
🌳fairer access to green spaces

But only by supporting farmers to move to nature-friendly systems - more here 👉 www.soilassociation.org/news/2025/de...

My @thesoilassociation.bsky.social comment on the extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy -

(TDLR: we need to talk about sweeteners...)

After organic wine? Then look no further than Vintage Roots’ all-organic selection! 🍷✨

And this week only, they’re donating a portion of every sale straight back to the Soil Association (that's us!) Supporting organic farming with every bottle. 🌱💚

www.vintageroots.co.uk/
 
#ChooseOrganic

New online BASIS course on herbal leys & multi-species swards now live, to help build resilient, diverse grassland

Parts 1 & 2
🦋Benefits
☘️Species selection

Modules on establishment & management coming soon

basis-reg.co.uk/news/article...

Collab with Soil Assoc, AHDB, NIAB Cotswold Seeds & others

A Positive Future for Farmed Animals (Beef cattle and Sheep) Hear more about the Good Life Opportunity frameworks and how they can potentially support and advance an animal's quality of life.

🐑 Good animal welfare goes beyond avoiding harm

🌳 It means giving livestock the conditions they need to truly thrive

Join our webinar to learn practical ways to support positive welfare in beef and sheep systems

📅: Thurs 20 Nov, 1–2pm (online)
🔗: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1801397210...