New Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and organic buying groups project
The Soil Association has just begun an exciting new programme to develop CSAs and organic buying groups. We are part of a partnership project on local food and social enterprise, ‘Making Local Food Work’, funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The project will run to March 2012 in England only.
For more information on the project and to find out how you can get involved, click here
Response to vaccines for bovine tuberculosis
Please find the latest response from Phil Stocker, Head of food and farming at the Soil Association
Arable questionnaire – we need your help!
We are always looking at ways to promote organic arable production in the UK, and we are asking organic arable producers and those in conversion to complete a questionnaire (it only takes 10 minutes to complete!). It will give us a clear understanding of what is going on in the industry and what the opportunities are. This information will enable us to provide targeted support and facilitate activity that will really make a difference to your business and help us develop support for the increase of organic arable production in the UK.
Click on the icon below to open the questionnaire.
Northern organic arable seminar
This event is aimed at getting producers to maximise the production of arable crops in the north of England.
The event will be aimed at existing producers rather than new entrants. We will be looking to help producers
to improve their technical efficiency and think about trying new crops or introducing cropping on livestock
farms. This event includes contributions from a number of experienced growers, with plenty of time for
discussion!
Timetable:
9.30 Optional feed mill visit to Vitrition
10.00 Registration and coffee
10.30 Workshop
11.30 Alternative workshop
12.30 Optional feed mill visit to Vitrition
12.45 Lunch
14.00 Question and Answer session – discussion with panel
16.00 Close
Please find attached the information and booking form for our Northern Organic Arable seminar:
If you cannot attend but would like to submit questions or issues that you would like to be put to
the floor and the panel on the day on your behalf, please contact Lucinda Kirby on 01995
642206 or email lkirby@soilassociation.org
New prize for farmers helping wildlife
The RSPB has joined forces with BBC Countryfile magazine to launch a ground-breaking UK-wide competition to highlight the work that farmers are doing for wildlife. A total of £2,400 is up for grabs for the winner and seven regional champions. The national winner will be chosen next autumn with the top prize of £1,000 and other awards, being presented at a dinner in early 2009.
For more info click here
Warborne Organic Farm Shop at Southampton General Hospital
Soil Association licensee, George Heathcote talks about the farm shop, which he opened last week at Southampton General Hospital, which with 7,000 staff is the second biggest hospital in Europe. Believed also to be the first such venture in Europe, Warborne Organic Farm shop in the hospital foyer is already attracting plenty of customers, possibly more than the fast food burger joint opposite! Commenting on the venture, George said, "There's nothing better if a patient desires to eat as healthily as possible, to speed their recovery." Challenged by the interviewer that most patients wanted comfort food, he responded, "There's no reason why comfort food should be any less good for you."
Listen again Soil Association response to the Defra consultation (December 07) on the NVZ
This response is made on behalf of the Soil Association and produced by its Food and Farming department. The Soil Association is the main organisation for organic food and farming in the UK, and is a membership charity with over 25,000 members including approximately 3000 farmer members. The Soil Association owns an organic certification company certifying 64% of organic farmers in England. Our activities include business sector representation, as well as market research, technology and information transfer, and agricultural development . More...
Dean Organic Trust
The Dean organic trust are small Trust set up to give Organic, or would be Organic, farmers and growers, a small interest free loan to assist them in their farming or growing enterprises. The trust was established in 1993 and has already helped several farmers to expand and gain other funding. For further detailsplease contact Mr D M Oakley, 132 Everton Road, Potton, Beds. SG19 2PD or email darl@oakacorns.fsworld.co.uk.