Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and the Border visited a sustainable farming leader, along with cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee MPs to find innovative solutions to improve England’s soil health.
The visit was to Barfoots of Botley’s Farm which demonstrates best practices in sustainable horticulture and regenerative farming. The family-run business grows, processes and pack a range of semi-exotic vegetables at farms and facilities around the world combining traditional farming techniques with innovative modern practices.
Barfoots have been a LEAF Demonsration Farm since 1998, and were selected as a Beacon of Excellence in regenerative agriculture in 2021, recognising their efforts to push the boundaries of more sustainable and resilient horticultural production.
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is the leading organisation delivering more sustainable food and farming. They work with farmers, food industry, scientists and consumers, to ‘inspire and enable sustainable farming that is prosperous, enriches the environment and engages local communities’.
The visit was part of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee’s inquiry into soil health in England. The inquiry is analysing the Government’s role in preventing further soil degradation occurring through compaction and the loss of organic carbon which poses a real threat to agricultural productivity. Moreover, restoring soil health can also benefit the environment via carbon capture.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“Barfoots’ operation is an incredible testament to what is possible when farmers combine productivity with protecting the environment. A beacon of innovation, we saw a host of best practices when it comes to soil health, and I would urge farmers to engage with their experts and see how they could improve their operations.
“There is huge opportunity for the new Environmental Land Management schemes to incentivise farmers for improved soil health outcomes, not only benefiting farmers through improved yields but also society by capturing carbon and stopping the overuse of chemical fertilisers. We are already seeing the start of this and I'm heartened by the direction of travel.
“I’m optimistic about the future and will keep pushing hard for our inquiry to involve innovative solutions to the problems of our time.”
The delegation specifically honed in on issues including:
- Reducing tillage and soil movement in vegetable and arable cropping with a focus on improving soil health and carbon balances.
- Biological and technological alternatives to traditional crop protection.
- Barfoot’s Anaerobic Digestion plant which utilises crop waste to deliver green energy to their packing facility.
