Making nature make business sense: free practical advice at Groundswell
21st June 2023
Practical advice on how to farm in harmony with nature – and how to make that work for businesses – will be on offer with the Soil Association charity at Groundswell on the 28th and 29th June 2023.
Utilising 75 years of experience in organic and regenerative practices, clinics and expert guidance will be on offer at the Soil Association’s own tent covering subjects like agroforestry, soil health and how to access private and public finance for agroecology.
Experts will be on hand at Groundswell from the charity’s farming team who offer advice to farmers looking for sustainable solutions, as well as co-ordinating farmer-led research with the Innovative Farmers network.
The team have also been running guidance sessions on farm support payment options within the Environmental Land Management Schemes and Countryside Stewardship, as part of Defra’s Future Farming Resilience programme.
They also advise farmers working with Soil Association Exchange, a new service that measures the environmental impact of farms to give them a score and help access new payment opportunities. Exchange will also be in the tent with business advice.
Farmers wanting to lead their own research will also be able to pitch ideas to Innovative Farmers in the tent.
Soil Association head of farming, Kate Still said: “Groundswell farming festival has fast become the place to be for farmers interested in learning more about innovative, nature-friendly ways of farming. For the first time the Soil Association will have its own tent where all farmers will be able to utilise our first-hand experience in nature and climate-friendly farming practices, including but not limited to organic.
“We know farmers care about their land and want to do more for the environment, and farming with nature can also make good business sense. Our team can help farm businesses to realise this and advise on farm payment options. We are also excited to share the latest in farmer-led research trials and our new farm sustainability monitoring service Soil Association Exchange. If you have any questions or ideas around nature and climate-friendly farming, we would love to see you there.”
A blackboard detailing specific clinic sessions, which will run informally depending on demand, will be outside the Soil Association tent with more details at Stand PF D7.
A number of programmed sessions across both days of the festival will also feature Soil Association experts and showcase findings from Innovative Farmers field labs.
