King Charles confirmed as patron of food and farming charity
18th May 2024
The Soil Association has just announced that His Majesty King Charles will retain his patronage of the charity as a part of his long-standing support for organic and nature-friendly farming.
The Soil Association has been campaigning for sustainable food and farming for the last 78 years.
The King has been supporting the charity since first becoming its patron as Prince of Wales in 1999. He has also backed hundreds of farmer-led research trials within the charity’s Innovative Farmers network.
Fellow organic farmer
Funded by the former Prince of Wales Charitable Fund, Innovative Farmers has been helping farmers test sustainable solutions on real farms since its launch 12 years ago. This support is now continuing via the King Charles III Charitable Fund.
Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning said the charity’s team is “delighted” that His Majesty King Charles will remain its patron.
She added: “At the Soil Association we have been very fortunate to have worked closely with King Charles during his many years of extraordinary charitable work as the Prince of Wales.
“I feel privileged to know him as a fellow organic farmer with a lifelong dedication to healthy, sustainable food, and as a champion for nature, the countryside and its people.”
Support beyond financial generosity
Ms Browning added that the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund has supported more than 120 farmer-led research trials with our Innovative Farmers network, but the King’s support “goes far beyond financial generosity”.
“He follows the work of pioneering farmers with avid fascination and takes inspiration from them. We look forward to sharing more with the King as the Soil Association pursues a nature-friendly future with his support,” she concluded.
Speaking at a 10-year anniversary event for Innovative Farmers held in 2022, the King said he was “very proud” to have been able to support the initiative.
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