2 August 2024
It was announced this week that the Government will undertake a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan following the publication of an annual progress report which warned that its goals are out of reach. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said that the government will detail plans for delivering each target in line with its manifesto commitments for nature. The review is to be completed by the end of this year.
The new Labour government was at the Great Yorkshire Show in July to set out their priorities for agricultural funding and support. Though no new promises were made, Steeve Reed reiterated his commitment to farmers and said that announcements around supply chain fairness were imminent. The Minister also promised to look at Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) as a matter of urgency.
A report for the Mayor of London has suggested that Londoners who pave their gardens should be charged for doing so, among other recommendations to improve the city’s climate resilience. Soil sealing increases the risk of surface flooding, and the report found that 4 in 10 London properties will be affected by subsidence by 2030 as soil dries out due to higher temperatures. Other recommendations include the creation of a new reservoir and improved flood defences.
The Met Office has warned in a new report that UK food security is under threat due to the impact of changing weather. The report recorded 2023 as the second hottest year on record after 2022 and had the highest number of flood warnings issued, predicting that this year’s harvest could be down by up to a fifth. Responding to the report, experts have pointed to DEFRA’s green farming schemes as being key to supporting farmers to adapt to extreme weather patterns.
UK retailer Co-op has announced a new ‘Future Farming Fund’ which is designed to support its farmers adopt sustainable farming practices and improve climate resilience. The funding kicks off this month, with projects focusing on key sustainable farming methods. Its soil project, Better soil for better forage, includes in-depth soil testing to help shape soil management.
Farmers across the UK are taking part in trials to improve local pulse production. The Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Cropping Systems (NCS) project aims to increase pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations from 5% to 20%, cut carbon emissions and reduce soya meal imports. Farmers involved cite soil health improvement as a key element of their projects.
A soil map of Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula has been unveiled in honour of late soil scientist Steve Staines. The map, on display at the Cornwall College University Centre, based at the Eden Project, represents the only extensive study of soil in Cornwall and provides an important resource for studies in land management and conservation.
New research has looked at the impact of applying brewery waste to soil to improve quality. In the study, brewer’s spent yeast was mixed with soil at varying application rates, incubated and watered for five months and then tested for properties including pH, nitrogen, organic carbon and phosphorus. It was found that the application improved soil quality overall, boosting biological and chemical function, especially in clay soils.
Common Ground, sequel to the 2020 soil-focused film Kiss the Ground, makes its UK premier this month. The sequel film looks at food system players and how regenerative farming can provide vital answers for our planet, health and economy. Find screening dates and tickets here!