Understanding organic at Yeo Valley
This Organic September celebrates a big year for the organic food movement, 2023 marks 50 years of organic certification. Yet half a century on, the need to change the way we farm and eat is more pressing than ever. There are big problems with conventional methods of food production and they’re affecting our health, and the health of our planet. Understanding what organic can do better - for people, for wildlife and for nature - is vital for those of us who want to build a more sustainable food and drink industry.
That’s why I jumped at the chance to join the Soil Association’s Understanding Organic event, an on-farm experience day at one of my favourite companies Yeo Valley Organic. Yeo Valley is an organic, regenerative farm and a brand I hugely admire for its commitment to nature and environmentally friendly farming. They take their role as leaders in this space very seriously, demonstrating best practice to other farmers that supply their business.
Visiting this gorgeous site for an immersive masterclass in organic, led by the super passionate and knowledgeable Mark and Lee from the Soil Association, was a privilege. A personal highlight was the chance to eat a delicious locally sourced in the organic garden, sharing knowledge with inspiring people from interesting businesses, such as Organic Herb Trading.
My own interest in organic food dates back to my student days, when I wrote my dissertation on organic farming. Everything I learnt has stuck with me and I’ve been a passionate advocate (and consumer!) of organic food ever since. In fact, the organic movement inspired my interest in sustainable business and the belief that the food industry can and should be a force for good.
However, though the principles of organic may remain the same, there’s always more to learn. We heard from organic experts about some of the latest research and testing, and the message was clear - the current food system is broken, and we need to drive change on a substantial scale. Some of the most shocking facts reported were that:
Toxic and harmful chemicals, derived from fossil fuels, are applied to crops in the form of fertilisers, pesticides & herbicides. These are polluting our land, our air and our waterways.
UK agriculture created 32% of the particulate pollution in Birmingham and 25% in London in 2019.
One in three non-organic foods contain pesticide residues, with 75% of non-organic fruit and 80% of carrots containing traces of pesticides.
Within the EU, the food we eat represents nearly a third of our climate footprint as consumers. In the most intensive systems, it takes 10Kc of input to produce just 1Kc of food.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, there is a better way. Organic systems are healthier, more energy efficient and can reverse some of the damage caused by traditional food production methods. It was fantastic to hear that Yeo Valley Organic’s obsession with soil health means the business is committed to growing the UK’s regenerative organic farming movement with research, testing and education. I was also fascinated by new evidence of the benefits of organic including:
Groundbreaking research, led by Newcastle University and an international team of experts, which found organic foods are higher in antioxidants and lower in toxic metals and pesticides, than non-organic products.
Organic products do not contain artificially hydrogenated fats (trans fats) or controversial additives aspartame, tartrazine and MS. In fact, research shows that most organic products avoided 284 of 322 commonly used additives.
We still have a long way to go but a commitment to build on the progress made over the last 50 years and to accelerate action on the latest research findings could make a world of difference.
If you’d like to find out more about organic food production, The Soil Association is a great place to start, answering questions like what is organic? And why organic? And, if you’re exploring how to build a more sustainable business, we’d love to hear from you.
