‘Ally under our feet’ key to helping the planet
BRITAIN’S largest organic dairy brand has announced it will be investing £2 million in field trials to measure soil carbon stocks at all of its 100-plus milk supplying farms.
Somerset-based Yeo Valley Organic will work with expert partners to trial multiple carbon sequestration work streams, based on the principles of regenerative organic farming.
The multi-million project follows the conclusion of a successful five-year soil carbon testing pilot at Yeo Valley’s own farm in the county, run by the Mead family, where data showed that by using regenerative methods the soil carbon stocks are equivalent to 150 years’ worth of the farm’s emissions.
This was measured in detailed soil sampling including over 1,300 soil samples taken at three different depths, over 2,000 acres.
With farming directly responsible for 10% of UK national greenhouse gas emissions, Yeo Valley Organic believes carbon sequestration in soils through regenerative organic farming offers “enormous potential” to help reduce atmospheric carbon levels.
Owner of the company, Tim Mead, explained: “Helping to regenerate the world’s soil carbon stocks is one of our greatest opportunities to help combat climate change. The work we’re doing on our own and our supply farms is all about weaponising soil. As farmers and custodians of the soil, it’s time to recognise that our natural ally is right under our feet.
“Carbon offsetting isn’t for us, and we only considered ourselves to be truly regenerative organic farmers once we began to start increasing our soil carbon stocks. The results at our own farm are hugely encouraging and demonstrate why we’re so passionate about the way we farm. We want to prove that organic soil presents a big opportunity in helping to combat the effects of climate change.”
Mr Mead added that this is why Yeo Valley Organic has now committed to the ReGeneration Project, which will facilitate the UK’s most comprehensive research into organic regenerative agriculture principles. The company will be able to share soil carbon sequestration best practice with its 100-plus supplying dairy farmers and with the support of the farmer-led social enterprise the Farm Carbon Toolkit (FCT), quantify its success by accurately measuring the increase in soil carbon over a defined period.
Becky Wilson, Farm Carbon Toolkit technical director, said: “Gathering data over the next 10 years will build up knowledge on how a transition to regenerative organic dairy farming can really benefit our soil, our planet, our farmers and our food production.”
Regenerative farming methods will drive a big part of the positive change at Yeo Valley Organic, with a number of future plans on the table including ambitions to create one of the UK’s largest areas of agroforestry in 600 acres of woodland in Somerset.