The South West region includes the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, and the unified authorities of Bristol and South Gloucestershire. This region has the largest land area of the nine English regions (23,837 km2, more than 18% of England) and has the highest percentage of land classified as rural (South West Key Facts, GOSW).

Over 80% of the land area is agricultural, predominantly grassland enterprises including dairy, beef and sheep, but with some arable and horticulture. Just under 10% is urban or suburban. Agriculture contributes twice as much to the regional economy as in the average English region and generates twice as many jobs. In addition, the food and drink sector currently accounts for approximately 2.6% of South West GDP.

In terms of organic significance the South West region accounts for 25% (1008) of all UK organic producers (4010), while the organic land area in the South West is 99,397 hectares - 38% of a total of 258,234 hectares in England (Soil Association Organic Market Report 2005). In addition, to being a region of strong organic production, the South West also has many leading organic brand holders and processors who in many cases act as route to market for the high number of producers.

Further information:

» Organic South West in Cornwall is our first fully functioning regional centre
» South West Organic Action plan - full version [PDF, 921KB]
» South West Organic Action Plan - Summary [PDF, 678 KB]
» South West Organic Action Plan - press release
» Organic action plan consultation meeting - South West provisional outcomes [PDF, 131 KB]
» The state of the organic sector in the South West [PDF, 396 KB]
» Organic statistics in the South West 2007 [PDF, 3,290 KB]
» Organic statistics in the South West 2006 [PDF, 3.3 MB]